Chapter 1730

Yuan Qing Shan furrowed his brows; Hu Xiaotian arrived just in time. He pondered for a moment and said, "Where is the person?"

"He has just entered the East Gate!"

Yuan Qing Shan said, "Did he come from outside the city?"

The soldier nodded and said, "He also said he wants to see General Su!"

Yuan Qing Shan said, "Bring him here!"

Hu Xiaotian arrived at the West Gate accompanied by Liang Yinghao and Xia Zhangming. Along the way he saw the Yunyang soldiers lined up in two neat rows, with refugees from Xichuan passing through the ranks. After Yuan Qing Shan decisively ordered them to be let through, the two sides naturally ceased their conflict; all the Yunyang side needed to do was to keep watch over these refugees, preventing them from taking advantage of the chaos to slip into Yunyang City. In fact, this was unnecessary, for the refugees' greatest desire was to pass through Yunyang into the territory of the King of Zhenhai, since that Prince had already promised to take in all of them.

A Black Kiss Bird fluttered its wings and landed on Xia Zhangming's shoulder, chirping. After listening, Xia Zhangming relayed to Hu Xiaotian: "Three fully armed troops are being mobilized toward the West Gate; they seem to be coming for the lord."

Hu Xiaotian smiled indifferently.

Liang Yinghao reminded him, "My lord, you should be more careful."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Yuan Qing Shan's letting the refugees into the city already violates the court's orders, but rest assured, he's merely making a show of force."

As they talked, they arrived before the West Gate; Yuan Qing Shan led eight brightly armored warriors striding up to Hu Xiaotian, clasped his fists, and said, "Your humble servant pays respects to the Prince, a thousand years, ten thousand years. As the junior officer is armored, I cannot perform the full salute; I hope the Prince will forgive me."

Hu Xiaotian nodded, dismounted, tossed the reins to Liang Yinghao, glanced at Liang Yinghao's face, and saw sorrow and indignation filling the latter's handsome features. He asked, "Where is General Su?"

Yuan Qing Shan suppressed his grief and said, "General Su has already given his life for the country." He thought to himself, "You, Hu Xiaotian, are obviously asking despite knowing the answer."

Hu Xiaotian sighed and said, "What a pity." After speaking, he walked up the left-side stairs toward the watchtower; the right-side stairs had already been destroyed by Zong Tang's use of the Heaven-Shaking Thunder, so only this side remained to reach the watchtower.

The corpses on the stairs had been cleared away, but the bloodstains had not yet been washed off; wherever one looked, the stairs were blotched with blood.

Hu Xiaotian arrived at the watchtower, and Yuan Qing Shan followed him up alone.

Standing on the watchtower, Hu Xiaotian gazed into the distance and saw the refugees slowly crossing the suspension bridge; most were covered in mud, their clothes tattered, yet for the first time a spark of hope lit their eyes.

Hu Xiaotian said, "General Yuan is a great benefactor to these refugees!"

Yuan Qing Shan said, "Your humble servant dare not take credit; everything is part of the Prince's plan." As he spoke, a cold light flashed in his eyes, like two sharp daggers stabbing toward Hu Xiaotian's gaze, trying to see into his innermost secrets.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Man proposes, heaven disposes; I now truly understand that one cannot defy heavenly mandate."

Yuan Qing Shan heard the hidden meaning in his words and coldly said, "Someone just took the opportunity to stir up trouble; does Your Highness know what's going on?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled lightly, "I'm naturally lazy; as long as the outcome is desirable, who has the energy to investigate the process?"

Yuan Qing Shan asked, "Does the Prince really intend to take in all these refugees?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "If I didn't take them in, they'd have no way out; if General Yuan didn't order the gate opened, tens of thousands of lives would be left to die outside Yunyang's walls. You dare to defy the court's orders to rescue these refugees from fire and water; all I'm doing is allocating some land and grain, which is trivial compared to what General Yuan has done." He paused and added, "Actually, I'm rather worried about you."

"What are you worried about?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "General Su died at the hands of the refugees, and you defied the court's order by opening the gate and letting them in; I'm sure the court will hold you accountable."

Yuan Qing Shan sighed and said, "As long as I can save these tens of thousands of people, I, Yuan Qing Shan, will die without regret." He fixed Hu Xiaotian with a burning gaze and asked, "Can those refugees really not breach the West Gate by their own strength?"

Hu Xiaotian knew Yuan Qing Shan doubted him, and he said softly, "The fundamental reason the court refuses to let the refugees in is that it wants to worsen Xichuan's situation; before long, the region will collapse from within. Have you heard that the court is massing a large army on the southern front?"

Yuan Qing Shan nodded.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Yunyang may have no geographical advantage to defend, but its location is extremely important; it is the sole outlet of northwestern Xichuan. Seizing this point cuts off Xichuan's communication with the outside." Redwood River is now under his control; Xichuan's current predicament is that all its exits are controlled by others, artificially sealed off. Previously Li Tianheng also attempted to break through from north and south, but ultimately failed.

Hu Xiaotian said: "An earthquake struck Xichuan, and the court's handling of this matter was utterly inhumane; roads in northeastern Xichuan were cut off, the Xichuan army could not timely rescue, and the northeastern civilians had only to fend for themselves—their lifeline was to pass through Yunyang into the interior. If you insist on keeping the gates closed, then tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of civilians will be trapped alive to death."

Yuan Qing Shan pressed his lips together; he could not help but admit that everything Hu Xiaotian said was true.

Hu Xiaotian said: "If General Su could have taken a longer view, today there should not have been so many sacrifices." He reached out and patted Yuan Qing Shan's shoulder, saying: "You cannot bear the burden of Yunyang!"

Yuan Qing Shan had long known he could not bear it, but now that things have come to this, only death remains—as he himself said before, if his death could bring safety to nearly ten thousand refugees, it would be worth it; a surge of hot blood rose in him as he said: "At worst it's just death—what is there to fear?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "There is an old saying: a noble death is worse than a shameful life. I admire General Yuan's integrity, but while preserving integrity one must also know how to adapt. You cannot bear it, but that does not necessarily mean I cannot. I will memorialize the court: Yunyang has seen civil unrest, General Su, the Great Commander has met with misfortune, and I will take charge of the situation upon my arrival."

Yuan Qing Shan drew a sharp breath; he suddenly realized that Hu Xiaotian's true aim was not to save those refugees struggling on the brink of death, but to seize Yunyang—take Yunyang without losing a single soldier. He could not help but sneer: "Your Highness has quite the clever scheme! Although General Su, the Great Commander unfortunately died, Yunyang still has tens of thousands of troops; do you really think we would betray Dakang?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Do you forget who made me King of Zhenhai? I am a prince of Dakang; when have I ever betrayed Dakang?"

Yuan Qing Shan said: "Prince, do not forget your situation." His meaning could not be clearer: you, Hu Xiaotian, are now entering Yunyang alone; as soon as I give the order, you will surely die without a burial place.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Before coming to Yunyang, my subordinates once advised me, warning me that General Yuan might be unfavorable to me, but I did not think so; General Yuan is a person who understands the bigger picture, someone who risks being pursued and executed to give tens of thousands of disaster victims a way to live—how could he be blinded by baseless hatred?"

Yuan Qing Shan silently gazed at Hu Xiaotian; Hu Xiaotian should have seen through his thoughts. He could almost conclude that today's turmoil was entirely Hu Xiaotian's doing—even if Su Yuchi was not directly responsible, he must have died indirectly at Hu Xiaotian's hands. But what then? Kill Hu Xiaotian to avenge Su Yuchi? If Hu Xiaotian died, could his troops possibly spare Yunyang? Would that not be tantamount to personally driving these refugees and the people along both banks of the Yongjiang River into the flames of war?

Su Yuchi's death is largely to blame for his obstinacy; if Su Yuchi had not died, the nearly ten thousand refugees outside the city would have been trapped alive to death.

Hu Xiaotian perceived Yuan Qing Shan's inner hesitation and said softly: "General Yuan, do you truly wish to reignite war, letting the people suffer the ravages of battle? To shatter the hard-won peace of the Yongjiang basin once again?"

Yuan Qing Shan's head slowly drooped.

Hu Xiaotian said: "In a lifetime, one constantly faces choices; a single thought's difference may make one a hero admired by all, or a villain condemned by thousands. What path to take—only General Yuan himself can grasp."

After Qiqi attended Hu Xiaotian's grand wedding, she then went to inspect the western regions of Dakang; returning to Kangdu just seven days later, however, a piece of news arrived that shocked her: the Xichuan refugees broke through the city gates, and Su Yuchi was beaten to death by the mob in the chaos. Left with no choice, Yunyang sought aid from the King of Zhenhai, Hu Xiaotian; Hu Xiaotian led a great army to suppress the rebellion, and quelled the uprising in a single day.

After hearing Quan De'an's report of the latest situation, Qiqi unexpectedly did not get angry; she frowned slightly and said: "How could Su Yuchi die in such a pathetic way?"

Quan De'an gave a wry smile and said: "The specific details are still under investigation, but one thing can be determined: Hu Xiaotian seized Yunyang without losing a single soldier, and he even submitted a memorial to claim credit." He presented Hu Xiaotian's handwritten letter with both hands to Qiqi.

Qiqi took the letter, opened it, read it through, and sneered: "A sheet of lies—this Hu Xiaotian is truly shameless!"

Quan De'an said: "Princess, how do you intend to handle this matter?"

Qiqi said: "How to handle it? The deed is done; he has grown wings now, thinking that this palace does not dare to act against him lightly."

Quan De'an whispered: "Your Highness, are you planning to act against him?"

Qiqi glared at him and said: "Who would lead the troops to fight him? You?"

Quan De'an gave an embarrassed laugh.

Qiqi said: "The earthquake in Xichuan—those refugees did not go to Xizhou for help, but instead swarmed toward Yunyang; what is the reason for that?"

Quan De'an said: "As for this, I, your servant, am clear: northeastern Xichuan is all mountainous; because of the earthquake, many roads have collapsed and been blocked. To reopen all roads would take at least half a year, if not longer. Moreover, Hu Xiaotian has been spreading the word outside, saying he will take in all the refugees, giving them hope." (To be continued~^~)