Chapter 186: Only Women Truly Understand Women

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To subdue Xiao Sese and make her fall in love with him, though he was a transmigrator and the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Yu never fancied himself so charming as to truly possess such allure.

As for Zhang Chun's grand promises—like winning over Xiao Sese and her possibly aiding his destruction of Liao—he merely listened, never taking it seriously.

The key point was, Zhao Yu had so many women already, and would have many more—how could he possibly lack one Xiao Sese?

Yes.

Xiao Sese was beautiful enough, her status decent, and she was highly talented.

But in Zhao Yu's harem, women as beautiful as Xiao Sese—or even more beautiful—were not numerous, but certainly existed.

As for status, Xiao Sese was no more than a royal concubine, not Empress, not Empress Dowager, not even a Princess—she ultimately fell short in significance.

If it were Xiao Duoli, that would be different—after all, she was the true Empress of Liao.

Then there is talent.

Though Xiao Sese could write poetry and curse Yelu Yanxi, how could she compare to Li Qingzhao? Li Qingzhao had directly cursed Zhao Mingcheng to death—that was the pinnacle of female poets.

And Xiao Sese's cursing didn't even scratch Yelu Yanxi; her poems were unknown, and when some novelist quoted her verses, people suspected they were AI-generated. With talent barely better than AI, Zhao Yu could easily find thirty or fifty women in his harem just as good.

In short, Xiao Sese seemed decent enough, but upon closer thought, she was really nothing special.

Yet three things stirred Zhao Yu's heart.

First, Xiao Sese had already become Yelu Yanxi's discarded pawn—if Zhao Yu rejected her, Xiao Sese and her unborn Princess Yelu Yuliyan would have only death ahead, or at best a miserable existence; but if Zhao Yu took her in, he would truly be saving Xiao Sese and Yelu Yuliyan, giving them a real chance at life.

Put simply, if Zhao Yu ignored Xiao Sese, even servants might dare to bully her, and some bold scoundrels might even harass her.

—After all, this was no imperial palace, and all around were battle-hardened, reckless soldiers with death strapped to their belts—anything could happen.

Moreover, in this chaotic time, Yanjing was so far from Dongjing Bianliang, and Xiao Sese was pregnant with Yelu Yuliyan—if no one cared for her properly, it was uncertain whether she could even survive the journey back to Dongjing Bianliang or deliver Yelu Yuliyan safely.

Frankly speaking, both Xiao Sese and Yelu Yuliyan were tragic figures in history—women who had done nothing wrong yet suffered especially cruel fates. Since Zhao Yu had transmigrated here, if he could save them, he ought to.

Though Zhang Chun seemed like a demon, threatening and intimidating Xiao Sese, she too wanted to save Xiao Sese and Yelu Yuliyan—otherwise, why risk Zhao Yu's hatred?

Think again: right now, Xiao Sese and Yelu Yuliyan had no hope of rescue except by following Zhao Yu.

Second, Zhang Chun's concerns were not without merit—if Xiao Sese were left unchecked, given her current stubbornness, she might cause trouble; if she ruined something, Zhao Yu would not only kill the poor mother and daughter, but also become a laughingstock for being misled by a woman.

Thus, Zhang Chun's proposed solution must be tried—after all, only women truly understand women; perhaps, with Zhao Yu's charm or good fortune, he could truly win over Xiao Sese?

Of course, Zhao Yu personally thought it unlikely to be so easy—but ultimately, he would only exert effort; if it failed, he lost nothing, but if it succeeded, he could at least guarantee Xiao Sese and Yelu Yuliyan a minimum chance to live peacefully, avoiding the tragic fate history had written for them.

As for the future of Xiao Sese and Yelu Yuliyan? Since Zhang Chun was the one who wanted to save them—even pretending to be a demon to do so—it was her duty to manage them; Zhao Yu merely needed to cooperate with her.

Third, Zhao Yu would never do something that brought him nothing but trouble—like trying to catch a fox and getting covered in stink.

Now that everyone knew Yelu Yanxi had given his favorite concubine to Zhao Yu to appease him, forcing this black mark onto Zhao Yu's back, if Zhao Yu merely left Xiao Sese untouched, even elevated her without touching her, it would be too humiliating—he might end up making things worse.

Put it this way.

Liu Bang took advantage of Xiang Yu's main forces attacking Qi and Pengcheng's vulnerability, leading a coalition of feudal lords eastward and capturing Pengcheng in one stroke. Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu swiftly returned to rescue, crushing Liu Bang at Pengcheng. Liu Bang escaped with only dozens of cavalry; his father Liu Taigong and wife Lü Zhi, among other family members, were captured by Xiang Yu. Thereafter, Lü Zhi and others were held hostage in Chu's camp for over two years, until the Chu-Han peace agreement, when Xiang Yu finally released them.

Wasn't Xiang Yu honorable? He never touched Lü Zhi; according to TV dramas, Lü Zhi even tried to seduce him, yet he remained unmoved.

But in the end, Xiang Yu's act of honor left no romantic tale between him and Lü Zhi. On the contrary, this experience became Lü Zhi's eternal wound—after her release and return to Han's camp, her temperament changed drastically, her methods grew increasingly ruthless, and she ultimately aided Liu Bang in achieving hegemony, becoming the powerful Empress Lü herself, while Xiang Yu met his end by suicide at the Wu River.

But if you had placed Yu Ji beside Liu Bang for two years, Liu Bang would have made her bear him two children.

Zhao Yu wanted to be Liu Bang—he would never be Xiang Yu…

…

While Zhao Yu labored through the night, Yelu Yanxi also did not sleep.

Yelu Yanxi's court was not full of fools—men like Xiao Changge and Yelu Heluwan were seasoned Liao ministers who immediately saw that Zhao Yu's demand for two hundred thousand horses was meant to cut off their escape from Yanjing.

Yelu Heluwan flew into a rage, drawing his curved sword and shouting at Xiao Fengxian, who had negotiated this treaty with Han Zhongyan: "How dare you make such a decision on your own? You've surely taken bribes from the Song Ren—you're selling our country for personal gain! I'll kill you!!"

As he spoke, Yelu Heluwan drew his curved sword.

Clearly, Yelu Heluwan was truly furious.

Xiao Fengxian did not explain to Yelu Heluwan, but bowed only to Yelu Yanxi:

"Though the Southern Court coerced Your Majesty to leave the city and threatened to break Nanjingcheng tonight, I know what can be done and what cannot. Even as the situation teeters like a pile of eggs, I dared not act rashly—for the state and for the people—I dared only strive to facilitate this matter, to buy time with a delaying tactic, for without it, Nanjingcheng would surely fall tonight."

"I have now secured one night for the people of Nanjingcheng—whether to fight, or to send the Imperial Uncle to renegotiate, rests entirely on Your Majesty's decree."

"Let me say one more thing: if Your Majesty chooses war, my father, my brother, and our entire clan, young and old, male and female, are ready to take up arms on the walls to defend our homeland; if Your Majesty chooses peace, I willingly bear the burden of negotiation and will not shirk!"

Xiao Fengxian's words deeply moved Yelu Yanxi—he felt that ministers like Xiao Fengxian, who thought only of him, were the true pillars of the state, the genuine loyalists—far superior to Xiao Changge, Yelu Heluwan, and other warlike ministers who had trapped him in Yanjing, failed to defend it, and only caused trouble.

Yelu Yanxi looked at Xiao Fengxian with deep approval and trust, and his disdain for Xiao Changge, Yelu Heluwan, and others grew stronger.

Yet Xiao Changge remained oblivious—he fell silent for a moment, then said: "At this point, Your Majesty must leave the city and negotiate personally with the Song Zhu, or our Great Liao will remain too passive."

Yelu Heluwan also said: "We cannot allow the Southern Court ministers to imprison us within Nanjingcheng—Your Majesty must go and meet them."

Xiao Bodi added: "Han Zhongyan said that if no warhorses leave the city by tomorrow morning, the Song army will resume its assault—the Southern Court clearly no longer wishes to negotiate and denies us any chance to use a delaying tactic. Your Majesty must either leave the city tonight to meet the Song Zhu, or fight, or hand over the warhorses tomorrow morning—there is no fourth option."

Xiao Changge frowned: "Then Your Majesty must leave the city immediately to meet the Song Zhu—there may yet be a chance."

Yelu Heluwan also said: "This matter must be settled swiftly—no delay."

Another favorite minister of Yelu Yanxi, Yelu As, also spoke to him: "If Your Majesty leaves, the Southern Court will surely capture you, use you to command the lords, demand wealth and people, and seek territorial concessions."

Vice Chief of the Privy Council Zhang Lin warned everyone: "Our Great Liao has not yet named a crown prince—if Your Majesty is truly captured by the Southern Court, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Yelu Yanxi thought further—he feared that if he were detained by Zhao Yu, Xiao Changge, Yelu Heluwan, and others would seize the chance to replace him, perhaps installing Yelu Chun, who had nearly stolen his throne.

Yelu Yanxi even suspected that Xiao Changge and Yelu Heluwan were pushing him to leave the city and negotiate with Zhao Yu precisely to get him captured, so they could install their preferred candidate, Yelu Chun, as emperor.

Thinking this, Yelu Yanxi immediately resolved: "I absolutely will not leave the city—otherwise, I will walk straight into the tiger's mouth, lose my throne, and perhaps die a foreigner's death!"

With this thought, Yelu Yanxi interrupted the ministers' deliberations and said: "It is not that I refuse to leave the city—rather, if I go to negotiate, the Southern Court will still demand the warhorses; otherwise, they will launch a full assault. If the city falls, all within it will belong to the Southern Court—how could they possibly accept such a situation?"

Yelu Yanxi's reasoning was sound.

The truth was, if Yelu Yanxi dared to leave the city, Zhao Yu would surely detain him and extract even greater concessions.

Of course, Zhao Yu would eventually release Yelu Yanxi.

Then Yelu Yanxi set the tone himself: "Given the circumstances, we must prioritize the survival of our Great Liao state and the lives of all within the city—everything else is expendable."

Xiao Changge wanted to persuade again.

Xiao Fengxian, who also wished for peace, immediately turned on Xiao Changge: "The state has come to this because of you war-mongers! Now the realm is on the brink of collapse—your deaths ten thousand times over are not enough to atone!"

Xiao Fengxian's words struck right at Yelu Yanxi's heart: if not for Xiao Changge, Yelu Heluowan, and other war-minded ministers who insisted on keeping him, would he have suffered such humiliation and torment?

Xiao Changge, Yelu Heluowan, and the other war-minded ministers were silenced by Xiao Fengxian's retort and had no choice but to agree to hand over the warhorses.

Yelu Yanxi immediately ordered Xiao Fengxian to oversee the handover of the warhorses.

Xiao Fengxian issued orders: all troops in the city, including Yelu Yanxi's personal guard—from commanders down to soldiers—were not to keep a single horse; all must be led to the imperial avenue before Tongtian Gate for handover, without exception.

Xiao Fengxian especially emphasized: anyone who defied the order would be executed without mercy.

Under the stern orders of Yelu Yanxi and Xiao Fengxian, many Liao soldiers, fearing the Song army would sack the city, led their horses to the imperial avenue to await handover.

To prevent any Liao soldiers from causing trouble, Xiao Fengxian and his men drove away all Liao soldiers who had surrendered their horses.

After collecting the horses, Xiao Fengxian's men tied every hundred warhorses into groups, assigning five men to each group to guard and care for them, for tomorrow's handover.

By midnight, the warhorses stretched for miles along the imperial avenue…

While Yelu Yanxi waited in the palace for Xiao Fengxian and others to gather the horses, a eunuch rushed into the great hall, breathless: "Hui Hui Li Bao, Dashi, and hundreds of others have stormed the palace, demanding to see Your Majesty!"

Hui Hui Li Bao was the Liao general Xiao Gan. When Emperor Yelu Hongji fell ill and died, Yelu Yanxi ascended the throne and appointed Xiao Gan as Commander of the Khitan Imperial Palace Guard, overseeing Yelu Yanxi's personal troops.

Dashi was Yelu Dashi, the eighth-generation descendant of Emperor Taizu Yelu Abaoji, and he was not yet sixteen years old.

Hearing that Yelu Yanxi intended to hand over all horses in Yanjing City—and that all warhorses would be surrendered by morning—Xiao Gan led many of Yelu Yanxi's personal guards, while Yelu Dashi led numerous young Liao royal clan members, storming into the palace to petition Yelu Yanxi.

Upon hearing this, Yelu Yanxi turned pale with shock and hurriedly rose to flee the imperial palace.

But as Yelu Yanxi reached the entrance of Yaochi Palace, Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi led hundreds straight into the hall.

Yelu Dashi blocked Yelu Yanxi's path and shouted: "Your Majesty must leave at once—the city cannot be kept!"

Xiao Gan, Yelu Dashi, and others advanced with fierce intent, their aura brimming with murderous rage.

This terrified Yelu Yanxi; he stammered in panic: "Where do you command me to go?"

Xiao Gan said: "We are willing to sacrifice our lives to carve out a path for Your Majesty and break out of the city!"

Yelu Dashi had even brought a fine steed, trying to help Yelu Yanxi mount it.

But Yelu Yanxi struggled fiercely, refusing to get on the horse.

In Yelu Yanxi's view, the lands beyond the city were filled with Song troops; if he rashly fled Yanjing, death was certain. Even if Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi could get him out, he feared they would seize control of him and make him a puppet emperor—so he steadfastly refused to mount.

One of Yelu Yanxi's eunuchs rushed forward to stop Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi, shouting angrily: "How dare you be so disrespectful? This is our Great Liao Emperor! How dare you act thus?!"

Yelu Dashi flew into rage, swung his curved blade—and the eunuch's head was severed, blood spurting forth.

Seeing this, Yelu Yanxi turned ashen with terror—he never imagined Yelu Dashi would dare to behead his most beloved eunuch right before his eyes!

Xiao Gan hastily defended Yelu Dashi: "We do not dare to be disrespectful—we seek only to rescue Your Majesty from disaster! The Southerners are treacherous; peace talks are untrustworthy. If we surrender our horses, we are all lambs awaiting slaughter. Xiao Fengxian is a traitor, selling the state for personal gain, seeking to plunge Your Majesty into disloyalty, filial impiety, unkindness, and injustice. Our city still has one hundred thousand troops and hundreds of thousands of civilians. If we coordinate a time, we can have our soldiers and people surge from all eight gates. We will protect Your Majesty as you blend into the crowd—and we will surely break through the Song blockade. Later, Your Majesty can rally your forces and retake the city. This is the only way to save the state—please decide quickly!"

Yelu Yanxi thought Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi were utterly delusional; if they followed their plan to flee the city, it would be no different from suicide.

So Yelu Yanxi remained silent, using his actions to tell Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi: he would not leave.

Seeing Yelu Yanxi so cowardly and timid, unwilling to fight even one last time, only wishing to surrender passively, Yelu Dashi grew furious, grabbed Yelu Yanxi's robe, and tried to drag him away by force.

Yelu Yanxi had no intention of leaving with Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi, and now Yelu Dashi's insolence enraged him further—he stamped his foot in frustration and snapped: "I am Emperor! Dashi, do you intend to defy your sovereign?!"

As he dragged Yelu Yanxi, Yelu Dashi said: "We risk our lives to serve Your Majesty faithfully. If Your Majesty refuses, all is lost!"

Frightened by Yelu Dashi's recklessness, Yelu Yanxi feigned compliance: "If we must leave the city, I must return to the inner palace to prepare—take Empress, Yuanfei, Defei, and all Imperial Princes with me. How could I leave them to the Song Zhu?"

Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi, still young, and Yelu Yanxi, the Emperor with his exalted status, eventually relented—allowing Yelu Yanxi to fetch Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan and others.

Yelu Yanxi deliberately delayed. Upon receiving word, Yelu Chun arrived personally with three thousand elite troops to confront Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi.

Seeing this, Yelu Dashi urged Yelu Chun in frustration: "Your Highness is a hero of our clan—how can you not see this is a Southern plot? If we do not flee now, the consequences will be dire!"

Xiao Gan added: "The state has reached this point because His Majesty trusts traitors and rejects honest counsel. Your Highness must not hesitate further—if you hesitate, our Great Liao is doomed!"

Yelu Chun replied: "You risk your homes and lives to protect the Emperor—your loyalty is noble. But the Emperor's departure must be guarded with utmost care; we cannot act rashly."

Yelu Chun held extremely high status and reputation in Liao, was both scholarly and martial, and his words were true—so Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi and the others respected him.

Yelu Chun added: "If you take the Emperor away like this, can you truly guarantee his safety?"

Xiao Gan sighed: "Your Highness truly understands military affairs."

Yelu Chun said: "I shall now report your intentions to His Majesty, and we shall deliberate together—how does that sound?"

All nodded in agreement.

Seeing matters had reached this point, Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi disbanded their royal clan and personal guard contingents.

In truth, even if Yanjing City could not muster one hundred thousand cavalry, it could still gather seventy or eighty thousand—and with warriors like Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi eager to break out, escape was possible.

Had Yelu Yanxi and his ministers effectively organized these forces, breakout might have succeeded.

Yet only extraordinary men can turn the tide in critical moments—and Yelu Yanxi was not such a man, nor were any of his trusted ministers.

Once safe, Yelu Yanxi immediately ordered Yelu Chun to arrest Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi.

—Had it not been for Xiao Gan's position as Commander of the Six Xi Tribes and Yelu Dashi's status as a royal clan member, Yelu Yanxi would have killed them both.

Even so, death was spared but punishment was not: Yelu Yanxi still had Yelu Chun administer twenty lashes each to Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi.

After this minor incident, Yanjing City continued preparing through the night for the horse handover, without a moment's delay—its scale unprecedented in history…

…

(End of Chapter)