Chapter 1410: It

Blade-light and sword-shadow swiftly swept aside the light snow, scouring everything around them and enveloping the two men within.

Wei Zhongxian watched quietly as this life-and-death struggle unfolded right beside him. He could neither interfere nor did he wish to take part. He raised his head and looked at the overcast sky, letting the fine snow fall onto his face, into his eyes, and finally melt into droplets of water.

He had at last learned the root cause of everything that had befallen him lately, yet he could no longer muster any other feeling. What had all of it been for, in the end? The Great Ming plainly had only days left, yet these people still could not shed the accumulated habits of the past, still had to scramble and snatch for fame and profit — he had no idea what meaning any of it held.

All he wanted was to bring everything to an end, quickly. The Great Ming court had given him glory, splendor, and wealth; naturally it could take them back. Since the Son of Heaven now wanted this life of his, what use was there in holding onto it?

Having been wounded earlier, Qi Wang and Liu Songping were both somewhat weakened. Under this merciless, tightly coordinated encirclement, they were soon wounded again, fresh blood streaming down once more.

Qi Wang's eyes widened; his bloodlust had seized his mind again. He swung his blade with total abandon, utterly heedless of his own injuries, thinking only of hacking at the others. He could not escape anyway — what difference did it make whether he held out a little longer or a little less? As long as he died before Third Uncle did, that would be enough.

He wanted to roar, but no sound came out. He only felt a pent-up breath blocked in his chest, stifling him unbearably. That breath had once sustained him in remaining loyal to the Great Ming court during its darkest hour, and had carried him through the most perilous moments. Yet now it merely festered inside his heart, tormenting him to the extreme.

He twisted away along the path of an enemy's blade, then swept his own blade downward, forcing back two attackers, then bent at the waist to evade a horizontal slash, and then struck back along the line of that slash. The clashing of weapons rang out unceasingly. He could never break free of the enemies' encirclement and could only exhaust his strength within this net.

Just then, a sidelong glance told him that Third Uncle was already thoroughly outmatched in his exchange with Tao Che, and anxiety flared in his heart.

"You really are quite something — wounded and still able to hold out this long." Having once more barely managed to block one of his strikes, Tao Che nodded slightly, as if in praise of this foe. "A pity, though — the Embroidered Uniform Guard is not a place where you rise by martial skill alone."

"I've known that for over ten years already," Liu Songping answered in a low voice. Though his tone was calm, the weakness within could no longer be concealed. "Isn't that just how the world works?"

"Exactly — that is how the world works!" Tao Che bellowed, raising his blade and bringing it down in a heavy chop at Liu Songping. "And that is why I am a Chiliarch, and why when I tell you to die, you can only die."

Liu Songping held his blade horizontally and blocked the strike, but Tao Che had put so much force into it that he could only barely hold it back, watching helplessly as the blade pressed down toward his head inch by inch.

"Third Uncle!" Just then, a great shout reached his ears.

Not good! Liu Songping's heart jolted. He wanted to pull away, but his body, still unhealed and already locked in bitter combat, simply could not move aside.

A blade struck from the side, stabbing into his ribs in just this way, and then was yanked out with brutal force.

The searing pain jolted his nerves, and from somewhere he suddenly found a surge of strength. He shoved Tao Che back hard, then rapidly retreated to the side. And Qi Wang, roaring with fury, charged recklessly toward him, slashing out with his blade and wounding the enemy who had ambushed his Third Uncle — the price being yet another slash across his own back.

"Third Uncle, are you all right?" Qi Wang caught hold of Liu Songping, tears welling in his eyes as he asked.

"I'm fine." Blood seeped from the corner of Liu Songping's mouth, and he spat it onto the ground. "Foolish child, if only you had left earlier…"

"Ah—!" Driven to the absolute limit of fury and grief, Qi Wang threw his head back and howled at the sky.

That pent-up breath choking his heart seemed to scatter into the air along with this great cry. Then his gaze settled back upon the enemies before him, his eyes faintly reddened from the blood surging into them.

He let out another great roar, and then, utterly heedless of his own life, he charged at them.

He paid no attention to the blades swinging toward him, intent only on hacking at them, venting his rage. This utterly formless, chaotic fighting inflicted no real casualties on the Embroidered Uniform Guard — it merely added a few more wounds to his own body.

Gradually, Qi Wang began to feel his body growing colder and colder. Every step he took seemed to cost him several times the strength it had before. Courage and fury could not, after all, take the place of blood.

Was he to die like this, out in the desolate wilderness, be buried, and then become just one more among the countless corpses abandoned along the road?

At least let me die before Third Uncle does. He thought to himself.

His blade grew weaker and weaker, the enemies pressed closer and closer, but he would not stop until the moment of his death.

Boom. Boom.

A rumbling came from the horizon, like the crash of thunder and lightning in the sky — but how could this be thunder weather right now?

Very soon, Qi Wang realized that the ground beneath him was faintly trembling as well.

Had another band of pursuers arrived? Just as this thought crossed his mind, he suddenly noticed that the enemies before him also looked utterly bewildered. Their movements gradually slowed as they stared in shock and uncertainty toward a point in the distance.

They're not with them. The truth struck Qi Wang in an instant.

Because these men were all wearing red padded coats.

The riders were arrayed in orderly ranks, surging toward this group at extremely close intervals, like a moving wall. Seen from afar, the red of their padded coats and the reddish-brown of their horses blended into a single color. Set against the vast white expanse of the snow-covered earth, they came on like a crimson torrent, unstoppable. Along the path of this torrent, black mud and white snow churned together, spraying in every direction, the booming rumble pounding against every man's eardrums.

Though he had never before witnessed such a formation, Qi Wang understood in a flash exactly who these riders were. Under the whole expanse of heaven, was there any other place whose men dressed like this? Was there any other place whose men could possess such an aura?

The crimson torrent surged straight toward them, unstoppable. Tao Che froze for an instant, then finally grasped what was happening and bellowed, "Mount up!" as he himself dashed for a horse nearby.

Though he was no officer of the imperial army, he still knew a thing or two about battlefield formations. Facing charging cavalry, unless one was infantry drawn up in formation, meeting them on foot was no different from seeking one's own death. Dodging to the side would also be too late. The best course now was to mount up first, then form up and meet the charge.

Spurred by his shout, the others reacted at once as well, each dashing for the horses in the distance. For a moment, no one even spared a thought for whether Qi Wang and Liu Songping lived or died.

By now, perhaps because they had begun to accelerate, the thunder of the hoofbeats had grown denser and more rapid, and the crimson torrent was drawing closer and closer. Under the Embroidered Uniform Guards' fixed stares, the figures on the other side grew ever more distinct.

These red-coated riders were all sturdily built, their faces utterly grim, their eyes sharp and fierce, as if they had all been cast from a single mold — iron towers planted upon horseback, projecting an utterly overwhelming presence.

Perhaps because they had reached engagement range, they had already raised their sabers. The edges of the sabers, catching the pale, muted daylight, gleamed with a terrifying luster, and a sense of dread rose unbidden within the guards.

They had no time to dispel this dread — no time even to dress ranks and meet the charge. This band of red-coated riders swept in with terrifying speed, like a fierce gale scouring away the clouds. The moment they crashed into the Embroidered Uniform Guards, saber after saber swung up and then slashed down. The perfectly uniform ranks wavered slightly, as if the torrent had struck a few hidden reefs and rippled faintly in response. Then the two groups parted again, the crimson torrent rolling right over these men.

Everywhere was the sound of sabers cleaving into human flesh. Blood sprayed in all directions. Corpses toppled from horseback or crashed to the ground. Heart-rending shrieks rose one after another. Some collapsed straight to the earth and never uttered another groan. Others bore long gashes across shoulders or bellies, blood streaming everywhere, spattering the vast white ground and leaving behind glaring, shocking crimson.

The engagement lasted only the briefest moment. Driven by the momentum of the horses, the two groups quickly separated. The red-coated riders charged through, and only once they reached the far side did they gradually rein in their mounts, wheel around, and reform their ranks, preparing for the next charge.

On the Embroidered Uniform Guard's side, however, casualties from that first clash were already devastating. This troop of red-coated riders, like celestial soldiers and heavenly generals, had planted an involuntary, irrepressible sense of helplessness in the hearts of these men.

The one shaken was not only this group of Embroidered Uniform Guards who had borne the brunt of the attack, but also Wei Zhongxian, who stood not far away witnessing it all.

When this troop of red-coated cavalry launched their charge, he felt that shock especially keenly — as if a mountain were bearing down upon him.

This was the first time he had ever seen the Zhao family army in action with his own eyes, and this single display had already filled his heart with dread.

"Advancing and retreating with discipline, fearing not death, strict and precise in order… no wonder… no wonder…" His eyes wide, he murmured to himself. "No wonder indeed…"

He had seen the martial bearing of the Great Ming's troops — how could they even compare to one-tenth of these soldiers? No wonder Wang Zaijin, after just one engagement, had already had his will utterly broken and never again possessed the courage to face them in battle… No wonder even the elite Jurchen troops could not defeat them.

And this was merely a charge of fewer than a hundred men. Yet Zhao Jin already commanded a host of thousands upon thousands of troops, with thousands upon thousands of soldiers like these tiger-guards willing to die for him…

The Great Ming is finished! The Great Ming is finished! The Great Ming is finished!

These cries resounded beside his ears like crashing thunder.

"You… you are the troops from Xuzhou…" Staring at the red-coated riders not far away, Tao Che asked, his voice trembling.

His face was deathly pale. In that sudden clash, he had only barely managed, at the utmost limit of his strength, to evade several sabers hacking toward him, and his heart still pounded with lingering terror. Though his own side had suffered grievous losses in that hasty engagement, he had not the slightest thought of revenge — all he wanted was to send these plague-gods on their way and preserve his own life.

"Of course we are the Xuzhou army." A moment later, a man in the formation who looked like an officer replied. "Apart from Xuzhou, could there be such mighty soldiers anywhere under heaven?"

Arrogant though his manner was, not a single man refuted his words, not even in his heart.

"Sir officer, Xuzhou has already… already signed a peace treaty with my Great Ming, agreeing not to trespass against one another. Why then… why cross the border?" Suppressing the terror in his heart, Tao Che asked in the gentlest tone he could manage. "If you gentlemen are acting on your own authority, do you not fear displeasing your superiors?"

Though this group had crossed the border to commit violence and had even killed a number of his own subordinates, he dared not even scold them, only daring to argue his case with them in this manner.

"Peace treaty? We only follow orders — who cares about some treaty?" The officer answered without the slightest courtesy. "Crossing the border is crossing the border. This realm will sooner or later belong to our Lord Jin anyway. What of it? If you're not convinced, then let's fight another round!"

With that, he and the other riders raised their blades again, and the horses stirred slightly as the reins tightened.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard hurriedly raised their own blades as well, but quite a few of them were trembling faintly in their shock — clearly they had lost all will to fight.

Tao Che glanced to the side, then looked across at the Zhao family troops opposite. He himself had lost the courage to fight on. "Good sirs, let's talk this over properly — don't harm the goodwill between our two sides!"

"Talk properly? There's nothing to talk about!" The opposing officer raised his hand. "Hand that man over to us, and then you can leave. Otherwise, come fight another round!"

Tao Che's heart gave a thud.

This group of Zhao family troops had indeed come for Wei Zhongxian.

He never imagined… never imagined that Wei Zhongxian had actually colluded with Zhao Jin!

When they received the secret report earlier, they had still been somewhat skeptical. After all, Wei Zhongxian had always been utterly loyal to the Great Ming, and his enmity with Zhao Jin ran as deep as a sea of blood — he should not have gone over to Zhao Jin. Never imagined… never imagined…

"Wei Zhongxian, you are an inner minister of the Great Ming, yet you have thrown in your lot with Zhao Jin — have you no shred of shame left!" In his righteous fury, he threw all caution aside for the moment and directly roared at Wei Zhongxian.

Wei Zhongxian was also stunned for a moment. He had not expected that this group had come specifically to seize him. He had wanted to retort to Tao Che's rebuke, but suddenly felt that whatever he said would be meaningless anyway.

"Leave now and you can still keep your lives. If you still won't go, then don't bother leaving!" The officer was growing impatient. He raised his blade and pointed it straight at Tao Che. "I'll count to three. If you're still here after three, don't blame cold steel for showing no mercy! Three!"

The red-coated cavalrymen behind him raised their sabers as well.

Tao Che's heart plummeted to rock bottom.

He had no real choice. Their numbers had been far smaller to begin with, and in that brief clash just now, his own side had suffered a swath of casualties while the opposing side had not a single one — the gap in fighting strength was like the distance between heaven and the abyss. Even if they resisted desperately, it would be nothing but throwing their lives away, of no help to the greater cause.

"Two!"

The merciless shout pressed him to make a decision at once.

"One!"

When he heard that shout, Tao Che hesitated no longer. "Hold! Since our two sides already have a peace treaty, harmony must naturally take precedence — we must not rashly take up arms! Since you good sirs wish to take him away, then take him! We shall interfere no further!"

"You do know what's good for you!" The officer gave a cold laugh, then lowered his saber and waved his hand.

From the red-coated formation, several riders immediately broke away and slowly trotted over beside Wei Zhongxian.

It seemed there was no escaping this ordeal — in the end, he could not evade it after all.

But no matter. Having come to this point, what was there left to fear?

Wei Zhongxian drew a deep breath, then raised a trembling hand and pointed at Qi Wang, who was crouching on the ground, and Liu Songping, who lay collapsed there.

"You want to take me away — fine. But you must leave these two men behind for me!"

Hearing his somewhat shrill cry, the officer was slightly taken aback.

"Hm?" He then sized up the two men drenched in blood and pondered for a moment. "Leave the two of them as well. You go!"

"Good sir, these are our own Embroidered Uniform Guard men… we…" Tao Che grew anxious and hurriedly tried to explain.

"Leave those two behind! Get out of here, now!" The officer raised his saber again.

His tone left no room for argument, but no matter how furiously Tao Che's heart blazed with rage, he dared not let it erupt. The Zhao family troops' fearsome reputation had long reached their ears, and now they had witnessed it with their own eyes — where would he find the courage for another round?

"As you command, good sir." Gritting his teeth, he lowered his head and waved a hand behind him.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard men reformed their ranks, then reined in their horses and prepared to leave. Compared to the aggressive bluster with which they had arrived, they were now utterly deflated, their earlier swagger nowhere to be seen.

"Wei Zhongxian, you… you're mighty pleased with yourself now…" Perhaps because he could not swallow his resentment, as he was leaving, Tao Che turned his head and glared at Wei Zhongxian through clenched teeth. "But in betraying your sovereign and father so utterly, all under heaven is watching, and heaven above is watching too — you will surely come to a wretched end!"

Wei Zhongxian merely smiled faintly. At this point, he no longer cared what anyone said about him.

After glaring venomously at Wei Zhongxian a few more times, Tao Che led his men and wheeled away, their departure as hurried as their arrival had been.

And Wei Zhongxian spared them no further glance either. He walked over beside Liu Songping, who lay cradled in Qi Wang's hands.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly.

"I fear… I fear I won't make it." Liu Songping answered with a smile even as he coughed up blood. "It's just… it doesn't hurt."

"Not hurting is good, not hurting is good…" Wei Zhongxian shook his head, concealing all his regret and sorrow beneath a calm face. "In this world, to leave without pain… is already a rare blessing…"

"Third Uncle, Third Uncle!" Paying no heed to what he was saying, Qi Wang simply stared at Liu Songping, tears streaming down.

"Don't cry, child. I… at my age, dying… dying — what is there to regret?" Liu Songping looked at Qi Wang with difficulty. "But you — you can still live… so you must live well… don't do foolish things anymore…"

Qi Wang's tears would not stop, falling drop by drop onto Liu Songping's body, mingling with blood and water and flowing onto the ground.

Liu Songping gazed at his nephew. In his heart there was no fear of impending death, only comfort. His nephew had finally found a place to belong, and he himself could leave in peace.

"Take good care of yourself!" He mustered the last of his strength to speak while reaching out to stroke his nephew's face, but his hand would not lift no matter how he tried. It grew heavier and heavier, and finally fell limp to the ground.

"Third Uncle! Third Uncle!" Qi Wang cried out wildly, but no matter how he called, he could not wake him. His sobs grew louder and louder, until they became a howl of grief.

"The dead are gone — restrain your sorrow." As he wailed, Wei Zhongxian patted his shoulder. "Everyone meets this day in the end — what use is crying? What your Third Uncle asked of me, I have already given to you. Hold onto it well, go to Jiangnan and settle yourself properly. These times are not when someone like you can rise above!"

With that, without waiting for Qi Wang's response, he walked straight toward the red-coated riders.

"I'm the only one you're taking away, yes? Then let's go — don't make things harder for him!"

The officer smiled, then waved his hand. One rider dismounted, helped Wei Zhongxian onto his own horse, then mounted again himself and held Wei Zhongxian firmly in place.

Just then, the officer suddenly cupped his hands toward someone nearby.

"Go back and tell Mister Bai — as expected, he left nothing unaccounted for. Wei Zhongxian is in our grasp."

"This humble one will change clothes shortly and then return to report." The man on horseback hastily bowed.

"Mister Bai has rendered such a great service — those above will not forget it. Though there is no way to bestow rewards now, they will certainly not be lacking in the end." The officer continued, "Please ask Mister Bai to take good care of himself. After all, he is inside a Great Ming government office — he must be extra cautious in his daily affairs."

"There is no need to worry on that account. The Prefect of Guangping now listens to him completely and obeys him in virtually every matter — it is as if Mister Bai is the one running the yamen." The man quickly replied. "According to Mister Bai, the Prefect actually figured out long ago in his heart that he is from Xuzhou. But for the sake of his own life and his family's safety, he deliberately refrains from exposing it. Now he follows Mister Bai's every order day after day, terrified of offending the Xuzhou side…"

"Ha! These Great Ming officials really are a crafty lot, every last one of them!" The officer laughed loudly and shook his head. "Are there none with any integrity left?"

As he mocked, he turned to look at Wei Zhongxian, but Wei Zhongxian's face remained as calm as before, showing neither alarm nor any fear of what lay ahead.

This man has finally fallen into our hands! A surge of secret delight rose in the officer's heart.

Because he had repeatedly opposed Xuzhou and organized several encirclement campaigns against Xuzhou, Wei Zhongxian was naturally deeply hated there, especially among the Zhao family troops. It was for this very reason that the officer had been so delighted when he heard his assignment.

Once we reach Xuzhou, this old eunuch wretch will have plenty to suffer. Will Lord Jin have him torn apart by five horses, or carved by a thousand cuts? he wondered to himself.

The realm was vast, but there was no one left who could stop Lord Jin. The Great Ming's Wei Gonggong, whose power once blotted out the sky, and the Jian slaves beyond the passes, rumored to be utterly invincible — now they could only prostrate themselves one after another at Lord Jin's feet, unable to stir any longer.

This world is about to bear the surname Zhao!

Gazing out over the vast, boundless land, the officer suddenly felt a surge of pride, as if he shared in the glory to come.

Then, with a wave of his hand, the cavalry troop — disciplined and instantly responsive — wheeled around with him and galloped at full speed toward Xuzhou.

The snow was still falling. Qi Wang remained crouched numbly beside the dead Liu Songping, staring blankly at his lifeless body.

His gaze, of course, received no answer. The white snow drifted down slowly, accumulating bit by bit on the ground, laying a thin white shroud. All around was silent — not even a bird's cry. Between heaven and earth, he was left utterly alone.

Third Uncle was dead, killed by men of the Great Ming. Death itself was not to be feared, but to die like this — it tore at the heart with unbearable pain.

Qi Wang finally realized that his former high-spirited confidence had now become a joke. The Great Ming did not want loyalty, nor did it desire it. He had wanted to save the Great Ming, but did the Great Ming even want him to save it?

He no longer wished to return to the capital, nor did he want to clear the injustice done to him.

But in this vast world, how many places were there left for him to take shelter?

He raised his head. The sky was dark and heavy, making it hard to believe it could give birth to such pure white snowflakes.

"Ahh!" He suddenly opened his mouth and shouted, pouring out all the confusion, pain, and pent-up fury in his heart.

Naturally, not a single soul could hear him.