Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

"Once we’ve entered the city, say that His Majesty is dead." While they stood waiting to enter the gates, Pei Yan whispered to Erya and Xiaoqiu. They could see people hurriedly running above on the city gate tower. Erya nodded quickly, but Xiaoqiu pouted and looked unwilling, "His Majesty is not dead."

"We must say this if we want His Majesty to be safe." Pei Yin looked at Xiaoqiu. "Because right now many people want to kill His Majesty. This is the same as lying to your big brother. Xiaoqiu, you didn’t tell your big brother that Dayao is His Majesty, right? Do you understand?"

Xiaoqiu looked up at Pei Yan. The dog skin plaster had been torn off. Second Young Master Pei had turned back into a handsome man again.

“Xiaoqiu?” Pei Yan called out again and lifted his hand to stroke Xiaoqiu’s head. “Mm,” Xiaoqiu nodded. He didn’t want someone to kill His Majesty.

“His Majesty’s gone. Then, what about my big brother?” Erya asked Pei Yan. “Your big brother will take care of himself.” Pei Yan smiled at Erya.

“Oh.” Erya obediently replied. She didn’t feel as free and unrestrained with Pei Yan as she did with Ning Xiaoyao.

The hanging basket was lowered down from the city gate tower. First, Erya and Xiaoqiu were lifted up to the city gate tower. Then several soldiers went down using the hanging basket. Pei Yan worked busily with these soldiers to tie up his war-horse with a rope and lifted it up to the city gate tower. Then Second Young Master Pei brought those soldiers up in the hanging basket.

Elder Li and his party were waiting at the city gate tower. When they saw Pei Yan, Elder Li opened his mouth to ask, "Where is His Majesty?" Pei Yan knelt on the ground with tears in his eyes, "His Majesty had died fighting in the battlefield. He’s gone."

Erya had been around with Ning Xiaoyao long enough to know what to do during crucial moments like these. Along with Xiaoqiu, they cried very loudly but without tears. Elder Li’s final hope was vanquished. A minister pointed at Pei Yan angrily and barked, "Why did you return then?”

“His Majesty is dead, what are you doing alive?" another minister with tears streaming on his face shouted at Pei Yan. Pei Yan knelt quietly on the ground while curses flew at him from every direction. Elder Li sighed and calmed the crowd, "Stop. What's the use of scolding him?"

For a moment, only the sound of weeping could be heard at the city gate tower. Prince Fu rushed over from the imperial palace. When he heard a loud wailing coming from the city gate tower, he sat stiffly on his horse and didn’t come down. This kind of wailing could only mean one thing. His Majesty was truly dead.

“Rise.” Elder Li helped Second Young Master Pei up. Pei Yan stood up and turned around to look toward the outskirts of the capital. The stars were like embers twinkling and leaping in the wind. The two opposing military forces in the night battle already formed a jigsaw-like pattern. Nobody could guess the outcome of this battle since both parties’ troops could not be distinguished.

"So many dead people," whispered Erya in a low voice while she stood on tiptoes watching the city’s outskirts. Erya was obviously more experienced to gruesome scenes compared to the many adults on top of the city gate tower who did not dare to look at those corpses.

"How did the rebel forces and the Northern Hu end up fighting each other?" Elder Li asked. Erya lifted her head to look at Pei Yan. How would you explain this? Should they say that His Majesty had joined the rebel forces and then sowed dissension between them?

"The rebel forces has the jade seal," Pei Yan explained, "The Northern Hu and the rebel forces are fighting for the jade seal." Erya felt relieved. It was a good excuse.

Hearing that the jade seal was in the rebel forces’ hands, the people on the city gate tower had trouble breathing again. The jade seal was lost?!

"What should we do?" a minister asked in a helpless tone.

“Wait. Wait until tomorrow to see whether the Northern Hu or the rebel forces will win.” replied Pei Yan.  “What’s the difference?” asked Elder Li.

“The Northern Hu’s army provisions were burnt down.” Pei Yan’s pupils reflected the flames at the outskirts. “Even if they win against the rebel forces, these barbarians will not have a way to stay in the central plains for long.”

“And what if the rebel forces wins?” a minister asked.

“Internal strife broke out inside the rebel forces,” Pei Yan answered, “Even if they win against the Northern Hu, their strength will have been greatly depleted. So, likewise, they wouldn’t be able to attack the capital.”

The crowd was stunned again. So, the capital city’s siege has been broken?

"We witnessed the Northern Hu army camp’s conflagration." Elder Li’s heart caught on fire at the moment, but Old Gramps still maintained his usual caution. He went to stand next to Pei Yan and looked at him, "How did you find out about the internal strife from inside the rebel forces?”

"Elder, where do you think this official have been hiding these past few days?" Pei Yan laughed mockingly at himself. Elder Li was silent for a long time before finally releasing a long sigh.

"There are women and child soldiers in the rebel forces," Pei Yan explained to Elder Li, "so I brought Erya and Xiaoqiu to hide there. We did not arouse the rebel forces’ suspicion."

“If His Majesty didn’t leave the capital…”

“Shut up!” Elder Li turned around and rebuked his follower. Pei Yan sneered inwardly. If it weren't for His Majesty, the capital city would have already been conquered by the rebel forces and the Northern Hu.

Behind them came the sound of hasty footsteps. Pei Yan turned around. Chen Lu, dressed in military uniform, rushed to the city gate tower. Pei Yan nodded to acknowledge Chen Lu. "Brother Chen, in the future, we brothers must cooperate in good faith to defend the capital city."

Chen Lu nodded, "Where’s His Majesty?" “His Majesty is dead.” Pei Yan explained once again. Chen Lu's chest rose and fell several times violently. For Great General Chen, Pei Yan's remark shattered his final hope.

Pei Yan turned to look toward the outskirts again. The hand-to-hand combats still continued and the horizon was indistinctly turning white. After a night of bloody battle, the rebel forces and the Northern Hu continued to fight.

“They’re entwined together,” Chen Lu, standing on the city gate tower together with Pei Yan, said with a sigh, “They won’t stop until there’s a clear winner.”

“Then let them kill each other,” Pei Yan hadn’t left the city gate tower ever since he had returned to the capital last night. He only gave an order to send Erya and Xiaoqiu back to Lord Protector’s estate.

“Second Young Master.” the butler of Lord Protector estate followed a military officer and called out from behind Pei Yan. Chen Lu turned to Pei Yan, "Second Young Master had better return home. Old Madam and your wife have suffered a lot."

Before Pei Yan could answer, a young soldier relatively close to him and Chen Lu shouted, "There are troops heading over from over there!" Pei Yan and Chen Lu quickly turned around. As far as they could see, a cavalry had appeared on the horizon.

"Is it the Black Frost Cavalry?" Chen Lu exclaimed. Pei Yan kept silent. His expression was cold. His Majesty told him with a solemn vow that Lou Zigui would not come. So why would he appear in the capital city again?

"It's the Black Frost Cavalry." Chen Lu had already calmed down. "In Yongning, only Lou Zigui’s Black Frost Cavalry are able to pull that square-shaped cavalry formation. Also, they’re coming from the north.” Pei Yan loudly commanded the soldiers, "Don't fret, let’s confirm first."

“Supreme Commander,” a messenger in front of Lou Zigui’s horse reported with a loud voice, “General Fang commanded this lowly one to give you a report. The Northern Hu and the rebel forces are currently fighting a fierce battle up ahead. It seems like they have been fighting all night. Both sides have a lot of casualties; their bodies have piled up into mountain below the capital city.”

The generals next to Lou Zigui immediately began to whisper between themselves. No one could figure out why the Northern Hu and the rebel forces would be fighting against each other. “What about the capital city?” Lou Zigui asked.

“Replying to Supreme Commander, the capital city’s city gates are tightly closed. They should be fine.” Lou Zigui slowly loosened his tightly clenched fist. It was good that the capital city was unaffected. This meant that Miss Ning was safe and sound. 

“Supreme Commander,” Song Jin opened his mouth, “What should we do?”

“Charge in and kill the enemies,” Lou Zigui commanded coldly, “No matter if it’s the Northern Hu or the rebel forces, slaughter them all." The cavalry's weapon of victory was speed. After figuring out what was happening, it was time to whip out the battle sword and iron hoof to kill the enemy. 

“Yes,” the generals accepted the order in a simultaneous voice. "General!" a soldier ran up to the capital’s city gate tower and made a report to Pei Yan and Chen Lu, "There’s news from south city gates, the Destruction Prisoner Army has broken through from the southwest direction. They have already started fighting against the rebel forces!"

"The Duke of Yue’s estate has come to send reinforcements to rescue us?" Chen Lu was surprised again. Pei Yan dug his fingers into a city wall brick and almost caused his fingers to bleed. His Majesty had left last night, but Lou Zigui and Duke of Yue’s estate’s troops obtained a footing this morning. If His Majesty had delayed her departure by a night, then... 

Second Young Master Pei took his hand away from the wall. So what if His Majesty didn't leave? Spend her lifetime dressing as a man?

“Second Young Master?” Chen Lu saw Pei Yan standing in a daze and shouted at him. "Let’s leave behind two thousand soldiers in the capital," Pei Yan stated, "The remaining troops will be split evenly between us. Brother Chen, please lead your troops out of the south gate and I will lead the troops out of the north gate. Now it's time to attack the Northern Hu and the rebel forces on both sides."

"It's a pity that His Majesty has already...aaii!" Chen Lu sighed heavily. "Now is not the time to talk about that." muttered Pei Yan as he placed his hand on the blade at his waist. "Let's settle the Northern Hu and the rebel forces first.” Chen Lu nodded and hastily left the city gate tower with his personal soldiers to gather his troops. 

“Second Young Master,” a soldier shouted to Pei Yan, "The Black Frost Cavalry has stormed into the enemy ranks." Pei Yan looked toward the city’s outskirts. The Black Frost Cavalry had rushed into the battlefields like a black torrent in their silver armour and black robes. They rushed into the fighting ground between the Northern Hu and the rebel forces.

“Guard the city well.” After warning the city’s soldiers, Pei Yan went down the city gate tower with his personal soldiers.

After Pei Yan had gathered his troops and rushed out of the city gate, Elder Li and the ministers of the court showed up. They watched from the city gate tower and saw the silhouettes of the Black Frost Cavalry from outside the capital. 

"If His Majesty had not left the capital, he would be all right now," muttered an official in a low voice. Elder Li heard this comment and lifted his hand to slap the official across the face. He shouted angrily at his forty plus old disciple, "Thoughtless bastard!"

The official was dumbfounded by Elder Li’s slap. "If His Majesty hadn’t left the capital, do you honestly think the capital would still be here?" Elder Li shouted at his disciple, "You are only alive right now because of His Majesty!"

The official looked down in shame, red-faced. He did not dare to speak any more. "Lou Zigui," Elder Li turned towards the city’s outskirts again and shook his head. "Anyuan is far closer to the capital than Fengzhou. Yet, he arrived on the same day as the Destruction Prisoner Army. The Black Frost Cavalry did not rush to the capital with all its strength."

“Perhaps they were delayed on their way?" a minister speculated. Elder Li sneered. His Majesty said that Lou Zigui would not come. Old Gramps believed that wind couldn’t come from an empty cave. His Majesty would never say that if Lou Zigui had no disloyalty.

"Supreme Commander," Fang Tang yelled. He brought Deputy General Wang and his men, who had been ordered to remain hidden in the rebel forces, to Lou Zigui. "They are Pei Yan's men."

Lou Zigui looked at Deputy General Wang and asked, "Is His Majesty in good health?"