Chapter 52: The Cause — Inverted Chaos
The Yu army and the Yuanliao forces pressed in from both sides. Zhang Shun had held on in Jianqing City for months, but in the end, his own son had driven him to a dead end.
The forces of Yu's Fourth Prince, Wei Hai, entered Jianqing City and joined forces with the Yuanliao army.
The commanders of both armies were all smiles. The imperial brother-in-law Qu Zhenlie bowed and expressed endless thanks. Wei Hai was quite curious which unit in the Yuanliao army was the famed Awe-Inspiring Army that made the world tremble at its name, but he dared not ask directly. Then he saw a horse racing toward them from a distance. Before the rider had even drawn near, a stir ran through the Yuanliao camp. The soldiers parted to make a path.
Wei Hai looked closely: this man had sword-shaped brows and refined eyes, handsome and commanding. Though tall, he was not at all ferocious or powerfully built—his frame was actually rather lean. Just as he was wondering who this person might be, he heard Qu Zhenlie's voice: "General Cheng, this is Yu's Fourth Prince."
Wei Hai nearly fell off his horse: this man was actually Cheng Zhongshan, the one they called the Invincible Demon God! This... the difference between this and what he'd imagined was simply too great!
Zhongshan replied with a distracted half-bow, his anxious gaze scanning the crowd for a moment before he suddenly called out: "Wu Lianheng!"
"Here!"
"Where's Mancheng?"
Lianheng's face showed panic.
Unmindful that Wei Hai was standing right there, Zhongshan roared: "Wasn't your unit the one that stayed with Mancheng all along?"
"But General Xia said—"
"Is there no one left at Mancheng's side?" Zhongshan flew into a rage.
Silence fell over the Yuanliao camp. Everyone held their breath, too frightened to speak.
Before Lianheng could respond, someone shouted from afar: "Zhongshan! Someone saw Mancheng heading west!"
Zhongshan whirled his horse around and galloped away.
The Yu army soldiers stood there in stunned disbelief: that Xia Mancheng wasn't even a child—how could he possibly get lost?
Amid billowing smoke, Zhang Shun stood composed, gripping his sword hilt, watching the crimson figure slowly emerging from the haze.
"You?" A clear, cold face appeared through the smoke. "You?" He took another step forward, his crystal-clear eyes revealing confusion. "Why is it you?"
"General Xia," a faint smile curved Zhang Shun's lips, "you've grown."
"You..." Mancheng could barely believe his own eyes. His hand gripping the blade began to tremble uncontrollably. "You're Zhang Shun?"
Zhang Shun remained as calm as ever, speaking each word with precision: "Look—we've switched places."
"If you had killed me and him back then, none of this would have happened. Are you regretting it now?"
"I have no regrets." Zhang Shun smiled, though it was tinged with desolation. "I was simply waiting for him to come and seize Yuanliao. I was waiting for him to become this King of Yuanliao with full legitimacy."
Mancheng asked, bewildered: "Why?"
"Because he's my son."
"Hahaha..." Mancheng nearly laughed until he choked. "Is that your final words?"
Zhang Shun said unhurriedly: "I alone could hold Jianqing City until now. Then how could the iron-walled Yuanliao City possibly fall to you so easily?"
Mancheng stopped laughing.
"My elder brother had so many sons. Why did he send only him to Anqing? And for ten years, never once inquired after him?"
Mancheng's eyes widened.
"Why did I spare your life?"
"..."
"Because you said you were willing to die for him."
Mancheng's blade flashed open, his eyes burning with savage killing intent.
"General Xia, I wish to see Zhang Zhou."
Mancheng shot forward like a ghost, his blade flashing. Zhang Shun parried repeatedly, but Mancheng pressed in with his blade, yet his body involuntarily slowed its assault—because he saw that this enemy fighting him with all his might shared with the one he loved so deeply the same dignified fearlessness between the brows.
"Clang..." Zhang Shun took a blade to his right hand. His sword flew from his grip.
Mancheng ceased his attack, stepping back and silently regarding this man driven to the brink.
"General Xia..." Zhang Shun didn't even furrow his brow, as if he felt no pain at all from the wound. "If you... just let me see Zhang Zhou once, I will die without regret."
A flicker of hesitation passed through Mancheng's eyes.
Zhang Zhou, if you knew you were his son, what would you feel?
You... you would be anguish beyond endurance!
If this secret were revealed to the whole world, Zhang Zhou, you would become a bastard born of sin! The kingdom I've bled and struggled to build for you would crumble to dust!
Mancheng lunged forward in a single bound, driving his broad blade straight in. The blade's gleam was like a green dragon emerging from the river, like moonlight spilling across the ground, closing in on Zhang Shun step by step. Zhang Shun dodged left and right, then pivoted and swung his left arm toward Mancheng. Mancheng dipped forward to evade, then followed through with the momentum, slashing his blade down onto Zhang Shun's left shoulder. He immediately raised the blade's edge, ready to slice across Zhang Shun's throat—then forced himself to halt the blade mid-stroke.
The two of them, unable to maintain their balance, crashed to the ground. Mancheng's blade rested coldly against Zhang Shun's throat.
Mancheng gazed down at Zhang Shun's weathered, haggard face. Tears streamed down unceasingly. "I... I don't hate you. Thank you for bringing him to my side."
Zhang Shun was shocked: this man, violent as a demon, was actually weeping without end! His beautiful eyes were veiled with mist, full of tenderness. Zhang Shun knew he had softened. He drew a breath and pleaded once more: "General Xia, I beg you to grant my wish! I only wish to see my son one more time. All my concerns for the rest of my life—all of them are about him..."
"...You don't need to worry about him anymore... he's fine. He's very well..." Mancheng moved the blade away from Zhang Shun's throat.
Zhang Shun's heart leaped with joy. Before gratitude could leave his lips, Mancheng spoke again: "For the sake of being his birth father, I will leave you a whole body..."
The blade flashed竖起. The broad sword drove straight into Zhang Shun's heart.
Mancheng knelt on the ground and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. He promised me that if I killed you, he would cancel the engagement... I also... don't want him to see your head."
Zhang Shun's smile still froze on his face. In his eyes was boundless sorrow—and boundless reluctance to let go.
The merciless flames blazed on. The Anqing royal palace from those years had also been consumed by a fire just like this one, burning away everything.
Among the scattered corpses, Mancheng stumbled forward a few more steps. Then, suddenly, footsteps reached his ears.
Mancheng looked around, his voice trembling: "Zhang Zhou... Zhang Zhou?"
Through the swirling smoke, a figure in crimson armor slowly emerged. It was a middle-aged man. Though his features carried traces of worldly weariness, there was even more dignity and commanding presence.
Mancheng stumbled backward several steps and fell to the ground, staring at him in terror.
The man had already guessed that the young prince in golden robes before him was Anqing's youngest lord, Xia Mancheng.
He took another step forward. A cold smile curled his lips, and his entire face turned ferocious.
"You... you, don't come any closer!" Mancheng fumbled in his embrace and tossed out a yellow silk box, begging desperately: "You, you give this to Zhang Shun, he will reward, reward you—please, just let me go, I beg you, I beg you..."
The yellow silk box hit the ground. The jade seal inside tumbled out. The man glanced at it, his cold smile deepening. He ignored Mancheng's look of utter terror and walked straight toward him. He reached out and seized Mancheng by the collar. His other hand gripped a sword hilt.
Mancheng stared at him in despair. His throat had already lost the ability to produce any sound.
From somewhere, a heart-wrenching cry came: "Mancheng—"
"Zhang Zhou!" Mancheng cried out involuntarily.
"Zhang Zhou?" A muscle in the man's face twitched. He released Mancheng at once and tried to flee, but his legs were held fast by Mancheng's grip.
"Don't kill him!" Mancheng gazed up at this unfamiliar middle-aged man, crying hysterically: "Don't kill him, you..."
The man tried to kick Mancheng away, but Mancheng clung to his leg with all his strength, struggling to his knees. His handsome, fair face was streaked with tears, but his eyes no longer held the terror and cowardice from before.
"Mancheng—" The cry from afar was hoarse, carried on a sob.
"Take me to see Zhang Shun. Zhang Shun will reward you!" Mancheng's gaze was resolute, his words no longer faltering, his tone so fierce and fearless. "I beg you not to kill him! Whatever you want from me, I'll do as you say! I'll die in his place! Please don't kill him! I beg you! I beg you..."
The middle-aged man gazed down at the youth at his feet in disbelief. Something gentle flickered in his eyes—familiar, achingly familiar. He had no choice but to believe.
"Mancheng—" The voice from afar was hoarse, carried on a sob.
"Take me to see Zhang Shun. Zhang Shun will reward you!" Mancheng's gaze was resolute, his words no longer faltering, his tone so fierce and fearless. "I beg you not to kill him! Whatever you want from me, I'll do as you say! I'll die in his place! Please don't kill him! I beg you! I beg you..."
The middle-aged man gazed down at the youth at his feet in disbelief. Something gentle flickered in his eyes—familiar, achingly familiar. He had no choice but to believe.
Mancheng released his grip and collapsed to the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.
When he looked up again, the man had vanished. Mancheng stood dazed for a moment, then shook off his thoughts and hurried to find the one who had been calling him.
That voice—that call that would haunt him for the rest of his life!
"Mancheng!"
Mancheng snapped back to reality, answering instinctively: "Zhang Zhou, I'm here—"
A flash of crimson light appeared. A figure crashed into him...
Crash... The burning wooden rafters and signboard collapsed down entirely.
Mancheng pushed aside the person beneath him, crying out in alarm: "Zhongshan!"
Zhongshan let out a cry. Flames erupted on his back. Qu Xue acted quickly, snatching up a piece of clothing and frantically beating at the fire. Mancheng, heedless of the burns, reached out and slapped at the flames.
"Mancheng!" Qu Xue shouted, shoving him away. Mancheng stumbled and fell. Only then did he feel the searing pain in his hand.
Fortunately, the fire was not too fierce. It was extinguished in moments. The armor on Zhongshan's back was scorched black. Gritting his teeth, he removed the armor. Qu Xue took the water flask from his waist and poured water over his back.
Mancheng couldn't help with anything. He stood frozen for a moment, then rushed over anxiously to check Zhongshan's wound. His entire back was bright red. A large patch of skin was burned to a raw, bloody mess.
Mancheng's heart ached suddenly. At a loss, he clutched Zhongshan, his voice shaking: "Zhongshan! Does it hurt? Does it hurt?"
Qu Xue laughed dryly, trying to comfort him: "It's just a minor wound. He'll be fine!" His tone was as if the injury were on his own body.
Zhongshan's forehead beaded with sweat, yet he smiled as if nothing were wrong. "It doesn't hurt."
"Liar! It must be killing you!" Mancheng ignored Qu Xue, staring at Zhongshan without blinking. Tears swirled in his eyes.
Zhongshan took Mancheng's hand and opened his palm. Seeing that his palm was also burned red, his heart clenched even more painfully. "You fool, why did you use your hand..." He wiped Mancheng's tears as he spoke, then coaxed him: "It doesn't hurt. Don't cry anymore..."
The two gazed at each other with deep affection, utterly oblivious to the exasperated Qu Xue standing beside them.
Mancheng was overwhelmed with gratitude. Eager to comfort Zhongshan, he leaned in and kissed him softly.
Qu Xue could take no more and shouted: "Stop right there!"
Both of them jumped in fright. Qu Xue cursed: "Damn it! Are you two ever going to stop? Don't you see what time it is! The building's about to collapse and you're still flirting! Get your asses up and move!" With that, he burst out laughing.
Mancheng and Zhongshan both flushed with embarrassment and released each other.
Qu Xue glanced at Zhang Shun's body and asked: "Do we hang his head on the city gate or bring it back to camp?"
"No need." Mancheng walked over. He placed his hand over Zhang Shun's eyes, which had refused to close even in death, and said quietly: "Bury him properly..."