Chapter 4, Loyalty and Treachery (Part 1)

The Minister of War, Liao Qiyuan, hurriedly approached Xiao Nihan and stammered, "Grand Master, something has happened"

Liao Qiyuan found himself somewhat at a loss for amusement and was just about to take his leave when Xiao Nihan called out to him, saying: "I will assign this matter to Xu Hanliang for investigation"

The scene fell into complete silence, and the soldiers under Lan Chuo revealed expressions of immense excitement. Everyone had already discerned the court's conspiracy, and no one wished to leave Yanmen Pass to return to the capital to quell the rebellion. Now, at the critical moment, Lan Chuo finally exposed his true intentions, and all the soldiers were filled with ecstatic joy

"Among the nine passes of the realm, Yanmen stands foremost." The majestic fortress is situated beside perilous mountains, perched atop Mount Gouzhu. The eastern and western flanks are characterized by undulating hills. A long wall is constructed along the mountain ridges, its course winding, extending eastward to Pingxing Pass, Zijing Pass, and Daoma Pass, reaching directly to Youyan and connecting to the vast sea; while to the west, it leads to Xuangangkou, Ningwu Pass, and Piantou Pass, all the way to the banks of the Yellow River

Xiao Nihan shot him a dissatisfied glance and said, "Qiyuan, after all, you are the Minister of War. When faced with certain situations, why do you panic and lose your composure? What kind of conduct is this?"

Lan Su did not speak, but waved his hand, signaling the crowd of generals blocking the doorway to make way. Qin Hui, holding the corpse of Sima Xiong, stepped out of Yanmen Pass, one step at a time

Lan Ziyang raised the whip in his hand and struck it fiercely on Zhao Ruihu's shoulder. Despite the excruciating pain, Zhao Ruihu was still unwilling to let go of the reins: "General, we have hundreds of generals and nearly one hundred thousand soldiers. As long as you say the word, we will go through water and fire without a single complaint!"

Xiao Nihan said: "Although the young emperor is somewhat disobedient, he is, after all, the legitimate bloodline of the Empress Dowager. To replace him with a prominent prince would surely provoke her displeasure. Moreover, at this moment, the Great Kang is in a time of turmoil; if he were to be deposed, it would only provide others with a reason to create chaos."

Lan Su glared at Zhao Ruihu and said, "Get lost with your * pictures * and * books ! "

Sima Xiong did not expect things to progress so smoothly, and with a beaming smile, he said: "This is excellent, tonight I will host a banquet at Weihu Hall to bid farewell to the Grand General and all the generals!" He had completely regarded himself as the master of Yanmen Pass.

Liao Qiyuan's expression changed: "Your Excellency, Xu Hanliang is the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and he is also Xu Wu my son. Handing him over to him would surely be a great trouble."

Liao Qiyuan said: "Your Excellency, this young emperor has been acting strangely lately. Last night, he killed two of my subordinates, and this morning he has also put Fu Zishan to death. We must be on guard!"

Lan Chuo lightly struck the stone tablet and said sadly: "General Li Mu, if you have knowledge in the netherworld, could you tell me, where should I go from here?" A cold wind blew, and in the distant sky, yellow dust began to rise, further accentuating the gloomy clouds.

Lan Su smiled lightly: "The northern Hu people are stirring restlessly, General Sima is stationed at Yanmen Pass, and the burden on his shoulders is not light either"

Sima Xiong rose and unfolded the imperial edict, stating: "Since the founding of the nation by Emperor Gaozu, we have driven away the Hu people to the north and pacified the barbarians to the south, allowing peace to prevail within the realm and the common people to enjoy a sense of security. However, in Xudu, Chengwei, and Nanyang, unruly elements have arisen, dishonoring our national prestige and disrupting the order of our dynasty, leading to internal strife once again. Although fate is bestowed by heaven, achievements must be accomplished by human effort. General Lan Ce is skilled in warfare and commands great respect at the borders. In this time of national turmoil, he should take the lead in battle to relieve my worries and alleviate the difficulties of the people. Therefore, I appoint Lan Ce as the General for Suppression and the Upper Pillar of State, promoting him one rank, and all subordinate commanders will also be promoted one rank. From this day forth, he shall lead an army of fifty thousand to quell the unrest, while the Yanmen Pass will be guarded by the military commander Sima Xiong. This is a royal decree!"

Zhao Ruihu put down the long knife in his hand, and Qin Hui strode forward to the corpse of Sima Xiong. He bent down to lift the headless body of Sima Xiong and looked towards Lan Suo, saying: "A gentleman may be killed but not humiliated. General Sima and the troops of the Book Army are great generals of Dakang. I beseech the general to return him a complete corpse"

Let go!" Lan Su roared.

Lan Zhi smiled and nodded; he has always admired those who possess courage

Lan Su reached out and knocked off Sima Xiong's helmet, seized his topknot, and with a short sword severed Sima Xiong's head. Turning around, his fierce eyes radiated authority without anger: "All of you, stop at once!" Wherever his gaze fell, the leaders of both sides dropped their swords and blades one by one

The situation at the front is urgent and cannot be delayed. Lan intends to organize the troops tonight and set off tomorrow morning

The Yanmen Pass features two gates, the East and West Gates, both constructed from massive blue bricks. They rise majestically, piercing the clouds, with the inscriptions "Heavenly Danger" and "Geographical Advantage" carved into plaques above the gates. Each of the East and West Gates is adorned with a city tower, standing tall in the sky. Outside the East Gate, there is a shrine commemorating the renowned general Li Mu.

Zhao Ruihu finally loosened the reins and said in a low voice: "If the general abandons the Yanmen Pass, Ruihu would rather die before you"

Lan Su slowly nodded and walked towards the mount not far away. Zhao Ruihu followed behind him and whispered, "Is the General really preparing to march east to quell the rebellion"

Sima Xiong feigned sincerity and said: "Your Majesty's favor towards General Lan is truly enviable for this humble general."

Lan Su suddenly cracked the whip on the horse's hindquarters, and the black steed let out a long neigh, kicking up a cloud of dust as it galloped swiftly towards Yanmen Pass

Xiao Nihan said with a faint smile, "What ideas do you have? Why not share them with me?"

The eight generals who followed Sima Xiong have already seen seven of them kneel down. They have realized that today, the rebellion led by Lan Ce has become a foregone conclusion. Lan Ce holds a very high prestige within the army; although they are not his subordinates, they have long been secretly convinced by him. In the current situation, after a brief hesitation, they have already decided to join Lan Ce's camp

Suddenly, the situation outside the door changed. The eight generals seated in the Weihu Hall simultaneously drew their swords from their waists

Lan Su coldly laughed and said: "What are you? Just a pet dog raised by Xiao Nihan. How could the Yanmen Pass be entrusted to you!"

Within the Hall of the Mighty Tiger, the eight generals brought by Sima Xiong were seated on either side, striving to suppress their inner feelings of pride.

As the setting sun descends in the west, General Lan Su stands quietly before the shrine of Li Mu, resting his hand on the stone tablet, his heart filled with countless emotions. He recalls Li Mu, the renowned general who once achieved unparalleled merits for the Zhao state, only to ultimately fall victim to the slander of the favored minister Guo Kai, leading to his tragic demise. Such an ending is profoundly sorrowful and desolate

Liao Qiyuan said in a low voice: "Well... that little emperor has killed Fu Zishan..."

Qin Hui approached Lan Suo with a calm demeanor, while Zhao Ruihu drew his long knife and placed it against Qin Hui's neck

Xiao Nihan coldly laughed and said: "Ah, that garden, I originally thought you were just a bit timid, but I did not expect that your mind is also quite ineffective"

Lan Su struck again with a whip on Zhao Ruihu's hand, leaving a shocking blood mark on the back of his hand

Lan Suo hesitated for a moment, then handed Sima Xiong's head to Qin Hui: "If you are willing to stay, I would be very pleased!" He has always admired principled and courageous individuals

Sima Xiong nodded and said, "When does the General plan to depart?"

Liao Qiyuan's face was slightly flushed, yet he still maintained a humble demeanor on the surface: "Please, Grand Tutor, give me your guidance"

After Zhao Ruihu bowed to Lan Su, he whispered: "Sima Xiong's two thousand troops have already arrived and are waiting in the military camp"

Lan Su affectionately wrapped his arm around Sima Xiong's shoulder: "General Sima! This Yanmen Pass is the foremost stronghold in the northwest of Dakang. I have drawn a topographic map and wish to present it to you in person"

A faint smile appeared at the corners of Lan Suo's lips. Suddenly, he drew a short sword from his waist and, taking advantage of Sima Xiong's moment of inattention, thrust it fiercely into his chest. The short sword in Lan Suo's hand was a treasure blade capable of cutting through iron like mud. Although Sima Xiong was clad in armor, he was utterly unable to prevent the sword from piercing him. Blood gushed from Sima Xiong's chest as he looked at Lan Suo in fear and despair: "You..."

Qin Hui gazed intently at Lan Suo and asked, "Do the words of the Grand General still hold weight?"

Lan Shuang held his fists together and said in a deep voice: "Please forgive Lan for not being able to pay full respects while in armor!"

Xiao Nihan said with a calm smile: "What you do yourself, you clean up yourself"

Only one person still stands proudly there, his name is Qin Hui, the youngest among the eight generals, and he holds the lowest official rank

Thank you for your great grace! After Lan Su respectfully bowed, he received the imperial edict from Sima Xiong's hands

Lan Zuo strode into the Wei Hu Hall, his face marked by the dust of travel not diminishing his imposing presence. His broad palm gripped the bronze sword hilt wrapped in rhinoceros hide, and his sharp gaze swept over the faces of Sima Xiong and the others one by one

Soft footsteps sounded behind him. Lan Suo turned around, and it was his deputy, Zhao Ruihu, who had come to his side

Sima Xiong's heart inexplicably skipped a beat. Ever since Lan Chuo entered the Weihu Hall, he had felt an invisible pressure. He coughed softly and forced a smile on his face: "General Lan, please accept the decree"

Xiao Nihan's eyes flashed with a hint of cold light, but quickly returned to calm: "It's just a servant; if he dies, he dies. What is there to be flustered about?"

Xiao Nihan smiled and said: "It is precisely because of the trouble that it should be handed over to him. If he cannot find any clues, I will charge him with dereliction of duty"

The soldiers under Lan Suo in the Weihu Hall also drew their weapons, and a bloody battle was about to erupt

Zhao Ruihu held the reins tightly, suddenly kneeling in front of the horse with tears in his eyes, and exclaimed: "General, that is a dead end!"

Grand Master, since he is disobedient, it would be better to abolish him and establish the prominent Wang Long Xuan Jiao instead

The generals under Lan Su shouted in unison: "Kneel!"

Xiao Nihan said: "The little emperor is not a fool; on the surface, he pretends to be submissive, but in his heart, he harbors deep hatred towards me. Even if he has grand ambitions, what does it matter? In the face of reality, he can only encounter obstacles everywhere. Killing one or two servants is insignificant; let him make a fuss!"

Lan Suo said: "The great kingdom of Da Kang is unfortunate, with treachery rampant, the sun and moon obscured, and the world devoid of light. Xiao Ni has seized the emperor and commands the lords, provoking the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people. I, Lan Suo, am determined to restore the rivers and mountains, revive the state, consolidate the army, and devote all efforts to the royal cause! Although you have been deceived by the traitor Xiao, you are still soldiers of Da Kang. I do not wish for brothers to quarrel, nor for kin to harm each other, thus bringing joy to our enemies and pain to our loved ones! Those who are willing to follow me, Lan Suo, may remain within the Yanmen Pass. In the future, I will treat them equally, without bias. If anyone wishes to leave, I will not force them!" His words were resolute and powerful, echoing with conviction.

Your Excellency, your insights are greatly appreciated

Lan Su did not say a word, grabbed the saddle, and mounted the horse

Qin Hui smiled calmly and said: "Everyone has their own aspirations. In Qin Hui's heart, every inch of land beneath his feet belongs to Da Kang! It belongs to Your Majesty!"

Liao Qiyuan inhaled sharply: "The Grand Master has a far-reaching vision, and I, as a subordinate, am not even worthy to be compared to the Grand Master in the slightest."

Zhao Ruihu shouted, "General, we cannot go!"

Liao Qiyuan could not help but feel a chill in his heart. It seemed that he would have to be more cautious in the future. He slowly nodded and added, "The fire last night destroyed quite a few places; this matter will likely need to be investigated further."

Sima Xiong smiled and said, "General, you are truly considerate. I, as a humble officer, will certainly not disappoint the trust you have placed in me. I will defend the Yanmen Pass as solidly as an iron barrel!"