Chapter 43: Deep Wounds, Agonizing Pain
The endless conflicts between Supreme Commander and the King had spread like wildfire through Yuanliao City. Within both the Wutao Army and the Weizhen Army, not only were the soldiers full of suspicions, but the generals too were quietly speculating about how the situation would develop. After all, one man held absolute power in the palace, while the other commanded military might that could shake the court—this was no longer a petty quarrel between two mischievous boys.
While议论纷纷 filled the air, the Weizhen Army had forcefully entered the Ruyi Western Palace, surrounding the Queen's quarters so tightly that not even a mosquito could escape.
Ouyang Na, Commander of the Ruyi Palace guards, was terrified out of his wits: How could the Ruyi Palace be a deep royal chamber, yet allow the army to barge through like this?
Upon learning the news, Zhang Zhou flew into a terrible rage, yet remained invisible throughout the entire city for a day and a night—no one knew where he'd gone to indulge himself.
Weiyang stood by the window of the third-floor pavilion, her hollow eyes suddenly lighting up.
"General Tai!"
Tai Qingduan, Left Deputy General of the Weizhen Army who had come to inspect Rongxi Garden, looked up to see the Queen at the third-floor window, her face full of urgency.
Tai Qingduan frowned: The rumors about an affair between Supreme Commander and the Queen had already caused quite a scandal throughout the city. Now General Xia had bypassed the King entirely, sending troops to forcibly enter the Ruyi Palace to place the Queen under house arrest. Though he couldn't fathom Xia's intentions, that unspeakable relationship between him and the Queen had become painfully obvious.
"General Tai!" Weiyang called out again: "I have something to tell you!" With these words, she turned and rushed downstairs.
Tai Qingduan hesitated. A soldier beside him murmured quietly, "General Tai, General Xia ordered that no information be allowed to leave the Ruyi Palace."
"Are you suggesting I would leak information?" Tai Qingduan shot a cold glare, raising his voice: "You think I would betray General Xia?"
The soldier immediately bowed his head: "This one dares not."
"General Tai!" Weiyang was already standing at the entrance to the inner courtyard, her eyes filled with grief: "I have urgent matters to discuss with you—matters concerning General Xia's life!"
Tai Qingduan was startled and, without further thought, followed Weiyang into the inner courtyard.
Weiyang dismissed the palace maids around her. Before she could speak, tears were already flowing down her face: "General Tai, please, you must save Mancheng!"
Both the officers and soldiers of the Weizhen Army held General Xia in the highest esteem. Tai Qingduan was certainly no exception. Hearing these words, he couldn't help but draw a sharp breath and asked: "What do you mean?"
"General Tai, do you know why Mancheng placed me under house arrest?"
"This..."
Weiyang wiped away tears: "He's trying to protect me! General Tai, I'm sure you've heard all about my relationship with Mancheng. I know what we're doing is shameful to others, but we truly love each other! Mancheng's loyalty to Zhang Zhou is blind, and it torments him endlessly." As she spoke, Weiyang watched Tai Qingduan's expression closely. She saw his face gradually darken. Weiyang sneered inwardly and continued: "What virtue does Zhang Zhou possess? If Mancheng wanted to take his throne, wouldn't it be as easy as lifting a finger?"
Tai Qingduan couldn't help but nod in agreement.
Weiyang's tone shifted abruptly. She clenched her teeth and said: "But Zhang Zhou is a beast in human skin! General Tai, do you know he defiled Princess Jinyin? Young Lord Xiangguang is Zhang Zhou's own son!"
Tai Qingduan was utterly shocked. He stammered: "Your Majesty, you mustn't speak such reckless words. If General Xia were to hear of this, given his temper..."
Weiyang gave a bitter smile: "Mancheng himself told me this."
Tai Qingduan was left speechless.
"Mancheng wanted Zhang Zhou to marry Princess Jinyin, but Zhang Zhou thought Princess Jinyin was defiled and unworthy of being Yuanliao Queen. So he poisoned his own son to death, then shamelessly went to Yu Kingdom to propose to me..." As Weiyang spoke, she couldn't help but tremble all over. It was the first time she had ever fabricated such a vicious lie! Even she felt how despicable she was being.
"BANG!" Tai Qingduan slammed his palm on the table, grinding his teeth with fury, his eyes blazing with killing intent.
Weiyang was startled. She suddenly remembered how truly caring Zhang Zhou had been to her, and a pang of regret surged through her. But then she thought of the bone-deep, flesh-cutting harm Mancheng had inflicted upon her, and that long-seething hatred would never end—Xia Mancheng! I will make you suffer unbearably! As long as Zhang Zhou dies, let's see how you survive!
"General Tai, do you also feel Mancheng isn't worth his loyalty?" Weiyang asked slowly: "Do you also believe Mancheng should stop serving such a man?"
Tai Qingduan sighed heavily: "Although General Xia can be somewhat willful, he's always been extremely generous to his subordinates. Whenever the King grants him rewards, he distributes them all as bonuses to the Weizhen Army. Qingduan owes everything to him, having been promoted step by step under his care. Even though I've followed him for years, I never knew he was such a pitiful man!"
"It's nothing, really. Sister Xiu Yi told me, Mancheng has a childhood sweetheart from Dudong—Princess Yingyou..."
"Princess Yingyou? Wasn't she the King's former..."
"That's right!" Weiyang nodded: "Zhang Zhou proposed to the King of Dudong before Mancheng could, becoming Princess Yingyou's betrothed. But Princess Yingyou would rather die than comply, so she threw herself from a building. That's why Mancheng refuses to marry to this day..."
Tai Qingduan suddenly felt enlightened, as if he finally understood why General Xia had become so licentious and wild, even getting involved with General Cheng. His heart filled with even greater pity for Mancheng.
"General Tai, now that Zhang Zhou sees Mancheng's achievements overshadowing his own, he has developed the intent to kill Mancheng."
"What?" Tai Qingduan was shocked and furious.
Weiyang gazed at Tai Qingduan intently: "General Tai, don't you want to save Mancheng?"
"How... how?" he asked.
"Kill Zhang Zhou!" Weiyang spit out these words, and immediately felt a cold, dark energy sink into her organs. An icy shiver ran through her body.
Tai Qingduan's expression wasn't particularly alarmed. He simply kept a stern face, silent.
"General Tai! Are you afraid Mancheng will blame you? Mancheng has wanted to kill Zhang Zhou for a long time—he's just been holding back. As long as you kill Zhang Zhou, who else in all of Yuanliao City could sit on that dragon throne besides Mancheng? When he becomes King, what fault would he find with you?" Weiyang continued to persuade: "Besides, I will speak on your behalf. What do you have to fear? To be honest, my child..." Weiyang thought of the child murdered in her womb, and tears poured out even more copiously. Her grief was genuine. "That child was Mancheng's. When Zhang Zhou found out, he secretly made me drink an abortion tonic..."
Tai Qingduan's eyes widened.
Weiyang was crying her heart out: "Zhang Zhou was going to take my life too. That's why Mancheng didn't hesitate to send you to protect me. Mancheng is such a fool! The Weizhen Army charging directly into the Ruyi Palace—this is basically rebelling against the palace, isn't it? Doesn't this give Zhang Zhou exactly the handle he needs to put Mancheng to death? Mancheng... he must have already been outmaneuvered by Zhang Zhou's schemes..."
Tai Qingduan leapt to his feet. His face darkened as he clasped his fist toward Weiyang in salute, then turned and left the Ruyi Palace.
Wei Sihu carried Mancheng on his back to Zhongbi Manor. The moment they passed through the main gate, there stood Zhang Zhou in the courtyard, staring coldly and fixedly at the two of them.
Sihu couldn't very well bow properly. He managed a greeting: "Your Majesty..."
Mancheng was dead drunk. He'd vomited several times along the way and was now completely limp. Pointing at Zhang Zhou, he laughed: "Oh..." Then he struggled off Wei Sihu's back, swaying unsteadily as he tried to walk. Sihu hastily reached out to support him.
Zhang Zhou let out a cold hum and walked over to help, saying coldly to Sihu: "Let go!"
"No!" Mancheng threw himself into Sihu's arms, throwing a drunken tantrum: "You find me so disgusting, yet why did you come looking for me? I'm that worthless! Am I just someone you can use whenever you want?"
Zhang Zhou's face contorted with anger.
Mancheng continued to shout: "I won't sleep with you anymore!" Patting Sihu's chest, he declared: "I want him..."
Sihu's face also went pale. Just as he was about to explain, he heard Mancheng mumble to himself: "I want to sleep with Zhongshan. Zhongshan is much better than you..."
Zhang Zhou was overwhelmed with rage. He felt his blood surge into his eyes and couldn't help but stumble backward a step.
Lan Xing was carrying sobering tea, also breaking out in a cold sweat. She rushed over to coax: "General, you're drunk. Please, drink some first..." Before she could finish, Zhang Zhou snatched the tea and "whoosh"—splashed it all over Mancheng's face.
The warm liquid instantly turned cold in that harsh winter night, shocking Mancheng's entire body with the chill.
Zhang Zhou threw the cup to the ground and bellowed: "Are you sober now?"
Mancheng gasped heavily. After a long moment, he raised his bloodshot eyes and stared fixedly and fiercely at Zhang Zhou.
"Hmph, seems like you're awake now!" Zhang Zhou sneered, then commanded: "Withdraw the Weizhen Army from the Ruyi Palace immediately."
"And if I refuse?"
"Xia Mancheng!" Zhang Zhou couldn't suppress his fury, thundering: "Do you want to die in secret with Weiyang?"
Mancheng ground his teeth: "Do you care so much about her? She doesn't care about you at all. She..."
"You've killed innocent people without restraint, and now you're not even sparing those closest to you! First it was Yingyou, then Xiangguang, and now you're going to harm Weiyang? You could even murder your own flesh and blood—are you even human?"
Mancheng stood frozen in shock. The hand gripping Sihu's arm trembled violently.
In that moment, Zhang Zhou forgot their years of deep love. He forgot how Mancheng had followed him不顾一切. He forgot Mancheng's passionate, wild love. A single irrevocable wordshot like a blade directly into Mancheng's heart—
"Xia Mancheng, I'm done with you. We end here."
Mancheng's mouth hung open. He stared blankly at Zhang Zhou.
Zhang Zhou's eyes burned. He was almost moved to tears. Only now did he realize that speaking these words hadn't just wounded Mancheng's heart—it had left his own heart bleeding profusely. Zhang Zhou clenched his jaw, turned, and walked out of Zhongbi Manor with hands clasped behind his back.
The winter night was especially cold. The air carried a biting chill that pierced the skin. The leaves that still clung to the trees shivered desolate and withered. Beneath a thin, pale crescent moon, Mancheng slowly sank to the ground. Like a child, he buried his face in his hands and wept bitterly.
This life... had reached its end.