Chapter 7: The Fall of Wangzhou and Secret Betrayal

 

The dawn broke gently over Zhilu Hall, casting a soft golden glow across the courtyard. Ah Yue rose early, as was his custom, his movements deliberate as he washed his face and combed his sleek hair, the faint scent of sandalwood lingering in the air. The stillness of the morning was broken by the sight of Pi Silang striding through the gate, clutching a paper box as though it were a sacred relic. His eyes sparkled with eager anticipation, but Ah Yue’s brow furrowed at the sight of him, a flicker of unease passing over his composed features.  

Pi Silang paused outside the door, smoothing his robes with exaggerated care before stepping inside. His gaze settled on Ah Yue, and he bowed slightly, his voice warm and conciliatory. “Ah Yue, I shouldn’t have brought those vulgar things like gold and jade last time. I didn’t want to humiliate you. These are the buns from Dehualou. They are all filled with your favorite fillings, including crab roe, ham, pine mushroom, and vegetarian three fresh. Look, they are still steaming hot. Eat them while they are hot.”  

Ah Yue’s expression softened, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips as he regarded the fragrant buns. “Thank you for taking the trouble,” he said, his tone measured but kind. “I’m so happy.”  

Pi Silang’s face lit up as though he’d been granted an imperial decree, his joy almost comical in its intensity. “No worries, no worries,” he repeated, barely containing his delight. A nearby servant, caught off guard by Pi Silang’s fervor, let out a stifled chuckle. Ah Yue’s sharp glance silenced the servant instantly, his calm voice cutting through the moment. “Since we have guests, why don’t you bring us breakfast?”  

The servant, chastened by Ah Yue’s stern demeanor, regretted his lapse at once. His smile vanished, and he hurried to obey. Pi Silang, oblivious to the exchange, beamed brighter still. “Ah Yue, are you asking for breakfast for me? Ah Yue… are you concerned about me?”  

Ah Yue’s expression remained serene, his tone even. “Since you’re a guest and you’ve come so early, let’s have breakfast together.” Pi Silang, overwhelmed with gratitude, agreed without hesitation, his enthusiasm bordering on childlike.  

As they sat, Ah Yue drew his pipa from its embroidered brocade bag, his slender fingers deftly tuning the strings with a plectrum. The notes sang softly, a delicate melody that seemed to weave through the room like a gentle breeze. Pi Silang watched, entranced, his gaze fixed on Ah Yue’s graceful hands, the jade-like sheen of his fingers moving with practiced ease. To Pi Silang, it was as if he’d sipped the finest wine, his senses lost in a dreamlike haze, a fleeting glimpse of paradise.  

The spell was shattered by a sudden commotion outside. A servant burst into the room, his face pale with alarm. “Young man, there’s a group of men outside, ferocious and evil, searching everywhere. They say they’ve been sent by the wife of the Pi family, looking for Mr. Pi!”  

Pi Silang’s face flushed with shame and panic, his earlier euphoria crumbling. Known for his fear of his formidable wife, he now faced the humiliation of being caught. Gritting his teeth, he muttered, “This damned she-beast has actually sent people here! I… I must get out of here quickly, lest I get Ah Yue into trouble!” In a frenzy, he spun toward the window, intent on escape.  

But Ah Yue’s calm voice stopped him. “Wait a minute!” he called, his tone steady. “If they catch you going out like this, it’ll be all over. I doubt they’ll be able to find me for a while. Why don’t you change your clothes, disguise yourself, and go out the back door?”  

Pi Silang slapped his thigh, his eyes gleaming with admiration. “Ah Yue, you’re really smart and considerate of me,” he exclaimed, as though the words were sweeter than honey. He showered Ah Yue with praise until, at Ah Yue’s urging, he followed the servant to change into the plain robes of a Zhilu Hall servant and slipped out through the back door.  

He crept cautiously across the courtyard, his heart pounding, when a sharp gust of wind whistled behind him. Before he could react, a searing pain exploded at the back of his head, and he crumpled to the ground, dazed by a blow from a club. As he struggled to cry out, four or five men emerged from behind a flower screen, their faces grim. The leader, a burly man with sagging jowls, pinned Pi Silang’s knee to the ground with a heavy boot. “Silang is so easy to find!” he bellowed. “My wife has ordered him to be tied up and taken home!”  

Unbeknownst to Pi Silang, these were no servants of his wife but Li Yi and his men, disguised to deceive him. Terrified of his wife’s wrath, Pi Silang believed their ruse without question. The men bound him tightly with hemp ropes, threading a wooden pole through the knots to carry him like a trussed animal. Their movements were swift and practiced, and Pi Silang, groaning under the coarse ropes, was hoisted from Zhilu Hall like a slaughtered beast.  

Humiliation burned through him as he cursed aloud. “That damned bitch, this brutal and unreasonable woman, how dare she send people to arrest me! I’ll get home and write her a letter of divorce!” His voice rose to a fevered pitch. “Grandpa Tianlei, if I don’t divorce this vicious and jealous woman, I won’t be called Pi anymore!”  

The uproar drew the attention of Zhilu Hall’s residents, who peered from windows and gathered under the eaves, pointing and whispering. Though accustomed to scenes of jealous wives storming the hall, a kidnapping of this sort was unprecedented. Laughter rippled through the crowd at Pi Silang’s pitiful state.  

Old Bao, one of Li Yi’s men, glared at the onlookers with feigned menace. “What are you looking at?! If you keep looking, my wife will report you to the police, accusing you of swindling gold and silver! We’ll raid Zhilu Hall and arrest all of you!”  

His threatening demeanor, coupled with Pi Silang’s tirade, dispelled any suspicion. The men carried Pi Silang from Zhilu Hall without resistance, loaded him into a waiting carriage at the gate, and sped away into the city’s winding streets.  

In a secluded spot beyond the city walls, Li Yi and his companions, still posing as Pi’s wife’s enforcers, confronted their captive. They accused him of lying to his wife and visiting Zhilu Hall for illicit affairs, claiming her fury demanded his teeth as punishment. Pi Silang, his earlier bravado gone, protested desperately. “God, I dare not lie to my lady. I really went out this time to escort food and grass for General Guo Zhi, the governor of Wangzhou County! As for Zhilu Hall, it was General Guo who sent an envoy out of the city to meet me and asked me to go to that hall to have a drink! We were just talking about food and grass, and we had no other intentions!”  

Old Bao, playing his part, gestured menacingly at Pi Silang’s teeth with an axe. “Nonsense! Don’t use General Guo as a banner! You use the government to scare my lady, your crime is even greater!”  

Pi Silang trembled, his voice frantic. “I have proof! I have proof! I have General Guo’s grain delivery card, which is the military’s card. It can serve as proof that I really went to sell grain!”  

Li Yi, maintaining the charade, asked slowly, “Where is the card?”  

“It’s in the leather bag around my waist,” Pi Silang replied, his voice quivering.  

Old Bao rummaged through the bag but shook his head at Li Yi, signaling nothing was there. Li Yi’s expression darkened. “How can there be a card? You are still talking nonsense at this moment, trying to deceive us!”  

Pi Silang’s voice broke with desperation. “There is a card, I really have a card!” He fumbled through the bag himself, spilling silver and coins, but found no card. As Li Yi raised the axe, Pi Silang shrieked, “I really have a pair of cards! I really have a pair of cards. I dare not leave this pair of cards with me for a moment!”  

Li Yi’s voice was cold. “Where did the pair of cards go?”  

“I don’t know either. I really don’t know where the pair of cards went!” Pi Silang wailed. As the axe gleamed above him, terror overwhelmed him, and his eyes rolled back as he fainted.  

Old Bao checked his pulse and nodded to Li Yi, who stepped aside to confer with Pei Yuan. “It seems that he really didn’t know that the pair of cards was lost,” Pei Yuan said, his voice low.  

Li Yi sighed. “I’m afraid the people from the Cui family have already got there first.”  

Pei Yuan’s eyes widened. “I’m afraid someone stole our cards while we were still in Zhilu Hall.”  

Li Yi nodded, his expression grim. “I wonder how the Cui family managed it? It’s probably the Cui girl’s scheme. She’s cunning and ruthless, a formidable opponent.” His mind flashed to the previous night by the well, where the Cui girl’s clever words had outwitted him, luring him with the word “Prince” before kicking him into the water. The memory stung, a rare defeat that left his pride bruised.  

Pei Yuan frowned. “Cui Yi’s son is actually very good at commanding troops. That’s all well and good. He has so many talented people under his command. I’m afraid he has big ambitions.”  

Li Yi’s voice was heavy. “So what if the Cui family has big ambitions? The world is in chaos now, and everyone has their own thoughts. The Cui family has their own plans. I’m afraid they not only want to take advantage of the conflict between the two, but also want to take advantage of the situation and kill someone with a borrowed knife. Now, taking advantage of our lack of food, they have tacitly agreed with Sun Jing to block us on the Guanxi Road.”  

Pei Yuan’s eyes narrowed. “Since the Cui family has gotten there first and taken the matching cards, let’s ask where the food team is and take Pi Silang with us. If we go to meet them, we can probably catch the grain.”  

Li Yi shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s too late.” He paused, his voice deliberate. “If I were a member of the Cui family, with a strong opponent in hand, I would take my men and disguise myself as the Wangzhou garrison and march to the grain team to collect the grain.”  

Pei Yuan’s face fell. “I didn’t expect that our painstaking planning would actually make things difficult for the Cui family.”  

Li Yi’s lips curved into a sly smile. “A blessing in disguise. Since Sun Jing’s rebellion, the Cui family has taken advantage of the emptiness of the southern foothills of Yanshan Mountain and sent troops to occupy many cities. This time, they made a mistake, and we are here to take advantage of it.”  

Pei Yuan blinked, confused.  

Li Yi chuckled. “What would Wangzhou County Magistrate Guo Zhi do if he learned of Pi Silang’s disappearance and the possibility of a food supply issue?”  

Pei Yuan’s eyes lit up. “He would immediately lead his troops out of the city to meet the grain train!”  

“Right!” Li Yi’s smile widened. “Since Wangzhou City is empty, let’s put aside the food supply for now and capture Wangzhou City first.”  

The strategy was bold but brilliant. Wangzhou’s strategic position made it a linchpin—control it, and they could threaten Bingzhou and Jianzhou, push toward the Luo River, and even eye the Eastern Capital, Luoyang. Sun Jing’s relentless supply of food and resources to Wangzhou only underscored its importance. Pei Yuan’s spirits soared at the prospect.  

Li Yi’s prediction proved true. Pi Silang’s disappearance from Huaquan Posthouse, followed by his abduction at Zhilu Hall, left his escorts scrambling. Unable to locate him, they rushed to report to Guo Zhi. Enraged, the county magistrate led Wangzhou’s garrison out in force to secure the grain train, leaving the city vulnerable.  

Seizing the opportunity, Li Yi and Pei Yuan mobilized several thousand troops, sending disguised scouts to infiltrate Wangzhou. With coordinated precision, the sparse defenders surrendered without resistance, and the city fell into their hands.  

Old Bao and Xie Chang’er, jubilant, scoured the city’s granaries. As expected, Sun Jing’s heavy provisioning left little behind, but the stores of rice, flour, and salted pork were enough to sustain their forces for days, especially the wounded. Pei Yuan, elated, ordered a hearty meal prepared for the men.  

Li Yi, ever cautious, took to the city walls, patrolling under the fading light. Pei Yuan joined him, noting his pensive gaze. “Are you worried that Guo Zhi will turn around and fight fiercely against the city?”  

Li Yi’s eyes narrowed as he watched the setting sun. “The little girl from the Cui family is very cunning. I think she will not only send people with matching cards to pick up the food, but I’m afraid her wishful thinking is not just that. Since she guessed that Guo Zhi would lead his troops out of the city, she will take the food and go straight to Wangzhou, trick the city gate into opening, and kill two birds with one stone. In this way, she not only robbed the food, but also robbed the city of Wangzhou.”  

Pei Yuan’s jaw dropped. “There are such cunning and shameless people in the world!”  

As they spoke, scouts reported a large grain convoy approaching Wangzhou. Li Yi’s spirits lifted. He ordered the army to lie in ambush behind the walls, concealing their presence until the convoy arrived. The ideal plan was to let the Cui family’s grain train enter the city, trapping them inside. At worst, a fierce battle would secure the grain.  

Li Yi, meanwhile, harbored a private desire: if he could capture the Cui girl, he’d repay her well-side kick with one of his own.  

Pei Yuan watched the distant convoy, a line of carriages snaking through the dusk. “How did you guess she would do this?”  

Li Yi shrugged. “If I were her, I would do the same. First rob the grain and fodder, then rob Wangzhou City.”  

The men held their breath as the convoy neared. Suddenly, a rider broke from the ranks. In the fading autumn light, Li Yi peered through the battlements and recognized her instantly—the Cui girl, disguised in a plain robe and futou, her slender frame and radiant eyes unmistakable. She glanced at the tower, issued a command, and the convoy abruptly reversed, retreating in a cloud of dust.  

Pei Yuan leaned forward, anxious. “What should we do? Should we chase her?”  

Li Yi shook his head, his tone calm. “No need to chase her. If she comes into the city, we can naturally fight her. If we chase her out, it will most likely be a waste of time and we will lose Wangzhou City again.”  

Pei Yuan scowled. “I don’t know how she saw through the flaw. There are such cunning and shameless people in the world!”  

Li Yi smiled faintly. “If she really bumps into the city and falls into the trap, it would be quite disappointing. Being seen through by her is what she should be capable of.” He slung his bow over his shoulder and descended the wall.  

Pei Yuan stared after him, puzzled. “What are you doing?”  

Li Yi called back without turning, “To eat!”  

---

*(5)*  

The next morning, Li Yi stood before the governor’s residence, now repurposed as a barracks, cleaning his teeth with a willow branch. The spacious estate housed their wounded, while Li Yi occupied a modest north-facing servant’s room—a far cry from sleeping under the stars. As he rinsed his mouth with salt water, Pei Yuan hurried in.  

“Seventeenth brother, Guo Zhi has set up camp thirty miles outside the city. Although he has sent scouts to and fro, he doesn’t seem to plan to attack the city.”  

Li Yi spat out the water. “He was careless and underestimated the enemy, fell into a trap and left the city, and lost Wangzhou. Sun Jing has always had a violent temper. If he knew about it, I’m afraid he would chop off his head immediately. So he wandered outside the city. With his troops, he was not able to attack the city, but he could not ask for help.”  

Pei Yuan grinned. “Guo Zhi is indeed in an awkward situation.”  

Li Yi’s tone grew serious. “Guo Zhi is not a concern, but I’m afraid the people from the Cui family are going to cause trouble again.”  

Pei Yuan blinked, startled.  

Li Yi continued, “The little girl from the Cui family is very quick-witted. Although she has robbed the food, she will not be willing to accept that Wangzhou City has fallen into our hands. Now Guo Zhi is leading his army outside the city alone, with no city to occupy and no food to eat. He dare not ask for help and is in an awkward situation. If I were her, I would go to Guo Zhi’s army to negotiate peace, so that we can join forces to besiege the city, capture Wangzhou, and kick us out.”  

Pei Yuan frowned. “Then what should we do?”  

Li Yi’s eyes gleamed. “Of course we will openly repair the plank road and secretly attack Chencang. I will go out of the city to pretend to negotiate peace with Guo Zhi. When I arrive at Guo Zhi’s army, the people of the Cui family will naturally consider whether it is more profitable to be our enemy or to form an alliance with us to deal with Guo Zhi’s troops first.”  

Pei Yuan hesitated. “Shiqilang, you are right. But it is too risky for you to go. It is better for you to stay in the city and I will go out of the city to Guo Zhi’s army to meet with the people of the Cui family. Let’s talk.”  

Li Yi glanced at him, a slow smile spreading. “Of course, General Pei will go. As for me, I’ll write a letter to Guo Zhi and stamp it with the seal of the Marshal of the Rebellion Suppression to show our sincerity.”  

Pei Yuan’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you say that the Marshal’s seal was too cumbersome and it was kept in your father’s camp and never taken out?”  

Li Yi waved a hand dismissively. “Why not carve one out of a radish? Isn’t that what we used to do?”  

Pei Yuan paled. “That won’t do. What if we’re found out…”  

Li Yi clapped his shoulder, his tone laced with mischief. “Don’t worry, there’s no such thing as a surprise. Guo Zhi and the people of the Cui family have never seen General Pei, let alone my Marshal’s seal. They will never be able to tell whether it’s real or fake.”  

With that, Li Yi donned fresh robes, took a small retinue, and rode out to Guo Zhi’s camp. Guo Zhi, hearing that General Pei of the Zhenxi Army had arrived, greeted him with respect, mindful of Pei Yuan’s father’s reputation along the Guanxi Road. Despite their enmity, Guo Zhi welcomed him warmly, revealing that the Cui family had also sent an envoy.  

Li Yi presented a letter bearing the forged seal of the Marshal of the Rebellion Suppression. Guo Zhi read it, noting the title “Jiedushi of Zhenxi, and Grandson of the Emperor Li Yi,” and asked casually, “Brother Guo just said the Cui family has sent someone. I wonder who they are?”  

Guo Zhi frowned. “I dare not.” He paused, then added, “The Cui family sent Captain He, a trusted confidant of Master Cui. Coincidentally, Captain He had only arrived a cup of tea before General Pei arrived.”  

Li Yi’s expression remained neutral. “What about that ‘magic bag girl,’ He?”  

Guo Zhi nodded, confirming that Captain He was the famed attendant of Cui Yi’s son, known for her wit and loyalty. Li Yi smiled. “Since Master Cui has also sent important people from his entourage, why not meet them?”  

Guo Zhi, relieved, arranged a banquet in the central tent. As expected, Captain He was the Cui girl from Zhilu Hall, now clad in the Dingsheng Army’s uniform, her slender frame and sharp eyes cutting a striking figure. Though disguised as a man, her delicate features betrayed her.  

After introductions, Li Yi said politely, “So you are Captain He of the Dingsheng Army. Nice to meet you.”  

Captain He smiled. “So you are General Pei of the Zhenxi Army. I’ve heard a lot about you.”  

Guo Zhi, ever courteous, added, “You two are both young talents. I am really flattered and have broadened my horizons to be here today. I am afraid of disappointing General Pei’s kindness and displeasing Mr. Cui. I feel very embarrassed.”  

Li Yi glanced at Captain He, catching her subtle smile. Their eyes met briefly before she turned to Guo Zhi, who proposed a contest to resolve their stalemate. Each party would send a champion to compete, with the winner dictating terms. To preserve harmony, none of the leaders could participate.  

The rules were set: a race to seize a flag from a watchtower and return it to a marked circle. Li Yi sent Xie Chang’er, Captain He chose her guard Chen Xing, and Guo Zhi selected a burly soldier. The contest was fierce, the riders clashing with unrestrained ferocity. Li Yi watched, his mind calculating, while Captain He remained eerily calm.  

Guo Zhi, making conversation, asked, “General Pei, your father was seriously injured at Huya Pass. Whenever it rains, the pain will flare up and he is in unbearable pain. I wonder if he has been better in recent years?”  

Li Yi, unfazed, replied, “Thank you for your regards, General. Among all my father’s old injuries, the arrow wound under the ribs is the most dangerous. Although he has been in the army in recent years, he has been carefully nursed back to health and has recovered much better.”  

Guo Zhi nodded, probing further. “Speaking of which, I have met your brother once. At that time, he was ordered to return to the capital. When he passed by Wangcheng Posthouse, it was raining heavily and his mount was broken. He had to ask me for help. I sent someone to send him two horses.”  

Li Yi paused, then smiled. “That was in the 24th year of Chengshun, when I was still young. After returning to the capital, my brother mentioned a heavy rain on the way there, nearly breaking his leg.”  

Guo Zhi smiled. “Sanlang is serving in Fengzhou now, isn’t he?”  

Li Yi corrected him smoothly. “It’s been so long, General Guo, I think you’ve misremembered it. It was my second brother who received the horse you gifted me, not my third brother.”  

A cheer erupted as Guo Zhi’s soldier seized the flag, only for Chen Xing to reclaim it in a dazzling clash. The fight grew brutal, and Chen Xing fired a crossbow, striking the soldier. Undeterred, the soldier thrust the flag into the circle before collapsing, mortally wounded.  

Guo Zhi rushed to his side, cradling him as he gasped, “General, fortunately… fortunately I have fulfilled my mission…” His head fell limp.  

Chen Xing knelt, remorseful. “I failed.”  

Li Yi spoke softly. “General Guo, with the skills of this soldier, he could have avoided the arrow just now.”  

Guo Zhi nodded, his voice heavy. “Yes, he was determined to win, so he didn’t dodge.”  

Captain He added, “This man is loyal and brave, and we admire him. Now that the people sent by the general have won, according to the previous agreement, my Dingsheng Army and Zhenxi Army can each agree to one condition of the general.”  

Li Yi nodded. “Yes, my Zhenxi Army can follow the previous agreement. Agree to one condition, General Guo.”  

Guo Zhi, grief-stricken, said, “It’s getting late, and our army needs to bury this comrade. I’m deeply saddened, so please stay in camp tonight and we’ll talk tomorrow.”  

Captain He replied, “Of course. I’ll also offer a tribute to this brave warrior on behalf of the Dingsheng Army.”  

Li Yi added, “General Guo, please accept my condolences. Please allow me to offer a small toast.”  

The funeral was solemn, the soldier’s sacrifice weighing heavily on all. That night, Li Yi confided in Xie Chang’er. “This strong soldier sacrificed his life in exchange for Captain He and I staying overnight in the camp. Something strange is bound to happen tonight.”  

Xie Chang’er, puzzled, asked, “Didn’t we agree to their terms if we won? Why is something strange happening tonight?”  

Li Yi shook his head. “No need. If they want to take action, they have to do it late at night. Just ask Lao Bao to be more alert. Now, I will go and check on Captain He.”  

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