Ashes to Crown

Chapter 168: Chapter 1: Dawning

Fireworks exploded in the night sky. Xiao Xun, in the post house, naturally saw them too.

He looked up, staring at the fireworks. When they vanished, he lowered his head, his vision blurring.

”Who could that be?”

”Did the Third Prince send reinforcements?”

”Are the Crown Prince’s men attacking?”

”Perhaps it’s the Xie family. The Xie family has a hidden private army.”

The people in the room also began to whisper amongst themselves. They watched the night sky return to silence and listened as the sound of galloping hooves seemed to grow louder on the streets.

Before long, a report came in: a bloodbath was unfolding at the Imperial City Gate.

Ning Kun’s expression flickered. He looked at Xiao Xun again. ”Your Highness, we can’t wait any longer.”

It seemed the fighting outside the city was ending. If the Third Prince’s forces and the Xie family’s men both surrounded the Imperial City, it would be difficult for them to get inside.

”We don’t necessarily have to go in,” Xiao Xun said. ”We can also be outside the Imperial City, protecting His Majesty.”

’It’s not for His Majesty to see, anyway. It’s for the whole world to see.’

Ning Kun grabbed him. ”We don’t have enough men. That’s too dangerous.”

At that, Tie Ying stepped forward. ”Allow me to scout the way for Your Highness.”

But this time, he still didn’t make it out the door. Someone rushed in from outside.

”Your Highness, something’s not right with the Chu Family.”

Something’s not right with the Chu Family? Everyone in the room stopped. What did ’not right’ mean?

What could that group of old, weak women and children from the Chu Family possibly do?

They had laid an inescapable trap at the Chu Family residence, so they hadn’t been watching it constantly, just waiting for a message.

If Chu Lan didn’t make a move by dawn, they would make a move for him.

Of course, it wasn’t as if they were paying no attention at all.

”We’ve been checking in on them,” the messenger said. ”The passcodes all matched.”

So what was the problem?

The messenger looked at Xiao Xun. ”But just now, when we tried to get close, we couldn’t.”

What did he mean, ’couldn’t’?

”We moved forward, and they—” the man said, ”attacked.”

He pointed to himself. His clothes were stained with blood, and one arm was still bleeding. A closer look revealed a small throwing knife embedded in it.

”We questioned them again,” he said. ”They still gave the correct passcode, but they just won’t let us get near. Isn’t that a problem—”

Before he could finish, Tie Ying kicked him to the ground.

”Isn’t it a problem?” he cursed. ”Are you idiots? Do you even need to ask?”

Of course it was a problem!

Something had happened at the Chu Family’s residence.

”I’ll go see,” Tie Ying said, turning to leave.

Xiao Xun stopped him. ”No need.” He looked outside at the fading night, then glanced up at the sky. ”We miscalculated. The Chu Family... is no longer under our control.”

Those fireworks—

’Perhaps that was the real reason Father always thought Chu Ling was worth befriending.’

Ning Kun’s face paled. ”Your Highness, now—”

Xiao Xun said, ”We leave the Capital City immediately and return to Zhongshan County.”

With that, he turned to go, but then remembered something. He bent down to pick up the imperial edict he had tossed on the floor and strode out of the room.

The once-quiet post house erupted into chaos, filled with the clamor of countless footsteps. But everyone moved quickly. In the blink of an eye, they surrounded Xiao Xun and galloped off into the night, a dark mass that muddied the clearing sky once more.

As Xiao Xun galloped away on horseback, leaving the street behind, he turned his head to look back at the Imperial City.

’The battle at the Imperial City just now... was that her?’

He had considered many who might be at the Imperial City: the Third Prince, the Zhao Family’s followers, the Crown Prince’s remnants, the Xie family, and, of course, himself. But he had never once considered that girl.

’What will happen next?’

He couldn’t guess, but he knew he had lost his chance to enter the Imperial City this time.

His hand clenched into a fist. He looked down and saw the scroll of the imperial edict in his robes.

’At least... I don’t have to make a difficult choice anymore.’

Should he be relieved? Or regretful?

...

...

The night gradually faded, and the people huddled under a bridge could now see each other’s faces.

Qi Leyun couldn’t help but lean out to look, only to be pulled back by her elders the next moment.

”Mother,” she whispered, ”it seems like it’s quiet outside now.”

Mrs. Qi held her daughter close. ”Don’t you dare.”

Qi Leyun stubbornly peeked outside anyway and murmured, ”Our house has burned to the ground.”

Hearing this, Mrs. Qi began to tremble again. She had been shaking all night, but recalling the earlier danger, she felt she might shake until she fainted.

The chaos had started suddenly, without warning. Heavy hoofbeats sounded outside the gate, and torches were thrown in. The servants had just opened the door to demand who was there when they were cut down by swords.

The household descended into chaos as everyone scrambled to hide. But the Qi Family residence was small, offering few places to conceal oneself. Gritting his teeth, Mr. Qi led his family and servants in a desperate charge out of the house.

Luckily, the attackers seemed to be in a hurry. After setting the Qi Family’s home ablaze, they left in a clamor without pursuing anyone to kill them.

Fighting raged back and forth on the streets, and the entire Capital City was engulfed in flames.

The family had hidden under the bridge, soaked in water all night, but their lives were saved.

Qi Leyun stared blankly at the hazy, blue-gray sky. She had never woken up this early before. So this was what the sky looked like when the night faded, just before the morning light—

”I wonder how many people will wake up today as they normally do,” she murmured.

’How are all my friends?’

Especially Chu Zhao—

”Father,” Qi Leyun couldn’t help but turn and call out, searching for him among the huddled family members. ”You said those people were the Third Prince’s—”

Before she could finish, a family member clapped a hand over her mouth amid a chorus of shushing.

”Whoever the villains are, the government and the court will pass judgment,” Mr. Qi also chided his daughter in a low voice. ”Don’t speak such nonsense.”

Qi Leyun pouted. ’What’s with the pretense?’ All night, the shouts amidst the clamor of battle had made things clear. First, a group yelled that the Crown Prince had been assassinated, that villains were causing chaos, and that the Third Prince was catching them. Then came cries that the Third Prince was rebelling—

It was so obvious.

It wasn’t that she had to know who was causing the chaos; she was just worried about Chu Zhao. The Third Prince resented Chu Zhao. Would he use this chance to wipe out the Chu Family—

She peeked out again. Their house was gone; she didn’t know what had become of Chu Zhao’s.

In the blue-gray haze, on streets that had been filled only with the crackling of fire, the sound of hooves suddenly rang out again. It was like a dense shower of rain, beating down on the hearts of the Qi Family under the bridge.

Their bodies, soaked in river water all night, were ice-cold, their faces deathly pale.

’Are they coming again?’

The darkness had faded. It would be easy to find them now without even trying to search—

”Imperial City Department on duty! The traitors have been executed!”

’The Imperial City Department?’

The Qi Family, young and old, froze. Was it real? Qi Leyun leaned out to look again and indeed saw troops of soldiers galloping past, followed by a group of constables carrying buckets and pulling carts. SPLASH! They doused the roadside fires with water.

At the same time, similar commotion arose from the streets in all directions, accompanied by the sounds of renewed fighting.

”Surrender your weapons and you will not be killed!”

”The traitors have been executed!”

The sounds of battle were terrifying, but the shouted words were reassuring.

...

...

Dawn broke. On the main road, hooves thundered and dust flew. Xie Yanfang galloped among them. With a sword on his back, a crossbow in his hand, and his body spattered with blood, he looked frightening at first glance. But on closer inspection, he still retained the graceful air of a young nobleman.

”Third Young Master.”

Someone galloped toward them from ahead, calling out loudly.

Du Qi, at Xie Yanfang’s side, gave a signal, and the man was allowed to approach.

”What’s the situation in the Capital City?” Xie Yanfang asked.

The Third Prince and the Zhao Family had raised a large force, completely blocking the roads to the Capital City. The Capital Camp behind them was also unstable. Caught between two fronts, they had fought a bitter battle all night just to break through.

But the greater obstacle was the city gate.

The Third Prince would surely defend the city gate with a massive force.

And they couldn’t shout that the Third Prince was dead to demoralize the enemy—doing so would make it even harder to curb the ambitions of the Heir of Zhongshan King.

”Assaulting the gate was extremely difficult,” the scout reported. ”But then, fighting suddenly broke out on top of the gate.”

”On the gate?” Du Qi asked. ”Did Seventh Master make arrangements inside the city?”

Xie Yanfang shook his head. ”We don’t have that many people inside the city.” He looked at the scout. ”What about now?”

”It’s quiet now,” the scout said. ”But we still can’t get close.”

Du Qi looked at Xie Yanfang and asked, ”Is it Xiao Xun?”

Xie Yanfang gazed ahead, fearless, and spurred his horse. ”We’ll know once we go and see.”

...

...

Overnight, the tall, thick, and imposing city gate seemed to have been coated in a layer of decay.

Bodies and weapons were scattered everywhere, along with burning torches. Its former glory was gone.

The top of the gate was silent, as if deserted.

But as Xie Yanfang approached, countless sharp arrows rained down, planting themselves in the ground to form a neat barrier.

”The Imperial City is under martial law! No unauthorized personnel may enter!” a voice shouted from the gate. ”Retreat at once!”

Martial law. Unauthorized personnel.

”I am Xie Yanfang!” Xie Yanfang suddenly raised his voice, shouting, ”I am guarding the bodies of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort! I must enter the palace and see His Majesty!”

As he spoke, he urged his horse forward one step, crossing the dense line of arrows.

Du Qi nervously moved up to protect his flank.

This time, no arrows were fired from the gate. Instead, a figure stepped out to look down at them.

It was an unfamiliar General, tall with a dark, ruddy complexion. From high on the city gate, he sized up the young nobleman below.

”Xie Yanfang? Who are you?”

’I don’t know if he’s pretending or not, but as long as they don’t shoot me, there’s a chance. Even if Xiao Xun has already seized the advantage, I can still persuade him—’ Xie Yanfang raised his voice. ”I am the third brother of the Crown Princess Consort.”

The General grunted an ”oh,” and it was unclear if he recognized the name or not. He didn’t ask any more questions, simply waving his hand.

”You will step back and continue to guard the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort,” he said. ”Wait for the court to arrange the next steps.”

’He’s still not letting me into the city.’

Xie Yanfang tightened his grip on the reins. ”Sir, I must see His Majesty. This concerns the Third Prince.”

The General was unmoved. ”Step back. You will be summoned for an audience after the court has made arrangements.”

Xie Yanfang was about to say more, but the General suddenly turned to his side, bowed respectfully, and took a step back as another person stepped forward.

The city gate was high, and the person who appeared in Xie Yanfang’s line of sight was tall and slender, clad in armor and armed. A black and red cape fluttered in the wind behind him.

Clearly, this was an officer of higher rank than the General, but—

Xie Yanfang didn’t shout. Instead, he stared in surprise at that person.

Du Qi, at his side, also stared at the figure. His eyes went wide in disbelief. Was he going blind? Why was he seeing—

”Xie Yanlai!”