Their elite troops, shrouded by the moon's glow, soon made their presence known at the north gate. With a stir of the city gates, all seventy thousand soldiers entered, seizing the prefectural office with thunderous speed.
At every city gate and checkpoint, no mercy was shown to the rebels. In the half-day inferno, blood splattered, and severed limbs flew, falling to the ground.
The sounds of slaughter shook the heavens. Only as dawn began to break did the fighting cease. The streets were littered with corpses, mangled and scattered, some belonging to rebels, others to civilians.
This battle was finally won, Yueyang City successfully captured. However, the casualties were heavy. All twenty thousand enemy soldiers were killed, while thousands of their own men were wounded or dead. Crucially, nearly twenty thousand civilians perished.
In the early morning light, cries of grief filled the air as the survivors mourned the fallen.
Feng Xie and Liu Liu, leading their subordinates, walked through the streets. There were only bodies everywhere. Signs and walls were stained with blood, the metallic scent causing them to gag, yet they forced themselves to bear it. This was the blood of his own people, and Feng Xie’s heart ached.
It was a victory, yet it felt like a defeat.
But if they hadn't acted, the entire city might have perished. In the early spring chill, everyone felt a pervasive cold. Dewdrops dripped from the treetops, falling onto the bloodstains, melting into them, making the scene even more gruesome.
As they proceeded, some people had already begun clearing the battlefield. Those bodies that could be identified were claimed for burial by their families. Unclaimed bodies were to be buried together by the authorities. As for the bodies of the villains, they were simply gathered in one place and burned.
Feng Xie and Liu Liu walked towards the prefectural office. Along the way, they encountered soldiers who greeted them with solemn salutes. Many did not realize that the person before them was the current Emperor.
They merely thought he was some high official. Liu Liu scanned the surroundings; she saw almost everyone, except for two individuals.
Liu Ting and Bai Han were nowhere to be seen, which meant something.
Nangong Yu and Feng Luo, the forces behind the Thirteen Eagles, had escaped amidst the chaos. These two scourges had managed to flee, and Feng Xie and Liu Liu felt a chill crawl up their spines.
However, this battle had eliminated the forces they commanded. Now, those two were merely stray dogs, unable to cause the kind of commotion they had today. Yet, having them at large always instilled a sense of unease.
Though Feng Xie and Liu Liu were alarmed, there was nothing they could do now that they had escaped. They entered the prefectural office, which was deserted. It had already been cleaned up. The officials had all been killed. The drum at the entrance remained, but alas, the people were gone.
The two walked around the prefectural office. Liu Ting and Bai Han had returned. Just as Liu Liu had predicted, Nangong Yu and Feng Luo had indeed escaped. Besides those two, Nangong Yue was also missing; everyone else was dead.
Liu Ting and Bai Han, feeling they had failed their imperial mission, knelt on the open ground before the prefectural office, awaiting punishment from the Emperor. At this moment, Feng Xie’s face was pale with distress, and he had no inclination to punish them. Moreover, in such a chaotic scene, it was easy for the two to slip away amidst the mayhem; how could they be blamed?
"Rise, all of you. Tend to the people of Yueyang City with care."
"Yes, your subjects obey your decree." Liu Ting and Bai Han saw that both the Emperor and Empress looked unwell. Anyone would feel the same after such an incident. Liu Ting noticed the weariness on their faces, realizing they had not slept all night, especially the Empress, who had an injured hand. He spoke with concern.
"Your Majesties, perhaps you should rest in the rear chambers for a while. We will handle everything here in Yueyang City."
"Very well, you may attend to your duties," Liu Liu said, waving them off. Her attendants, Hong Xiu and Dai Mei, approached to serve them.
Liu Ting and Bai Han retreated. The recently war-torn Yueyang City had a great deal to do. The following days would be busy for them. As Feng Xie and Liu Liu were about to enter the office to rest, a参将 (cān jiàng - brigadier general) rushed in. He spoke respectfully.
"Your Majesty, a man near death has been found in the prefectural office's dungeon. He appears to be one of the enemy."
"Dispose of him," Feng Xie's expression turned icy as he thought of those detestable people. He waved his hand in anger and turned to go inside. Liu Liu followed him for a few steps, then suddenly remembered someone. Nangong Yue was missing; where had he gone? Could that person be Nangong Yue?
"Wait," Liu Liu called out as the brigadier general was about to leave. The man turned back and clasped his hands. "Does the Empress have any instructions?"
"What did the person in the dungeon look like? Did you get a clear look?"
The brigadier general thought for a moment and shook his head. "His hair covered his face, so I couldn't see clearly. However, he should be good-looking; it's my intuition."
Liu Liu's heart stirred. She waved at the brigadier general. "Bring him here immediately. I wish to see him."
"Yes, Your Highness." The brigadier general retreated with a multitude of questions, but since it was the Empress's command, he dared not guess his sovereign's intentions. Feng Xie, standing behind Liu Liu, looked perplexed.
"Liu'er, why do you want to see that villain? Just kill him."
"That person might be Nangong Yue. If he is my elder brother, how can we just kill him?" Liu Liu asked displeasily. Feng Xie immediately fell silent. That was true. If that person was Nangong Yue, he already owed the Su family. Killing her brother would only deepen his sin.
"It's not necessarily Nangong Yue," Feng Xie said, turning to stand beside Liu Liu.
The brigadier general soon returned, leading two people. Behind them, two men were supporting a man who had fainted and was barely alive. His long hair cascaded down, covering his face, so his appearance was obscured.
Liu Liu ordered the two attendants to lay him on the ground. She then walked over and parted his hair, revealing a pale, bloodless face. Even in its deathly stillness, the face exuded a unique charm. It was indeed Nangong Yue.
"Quick, help him to the rear chambers." Seeing that it was truly Nangong Yue, Liu Liu became anxious. She gestured to her two attendants to help Nangong Yue inside.
Dai Mei and Zhi Gu stepped forward, supporting Nangong Yue as they carried him to the rear chambers. Liu Liu turned and swept her gaze over the bewildered brigadier general. "You may leave and continue the cleanup. Report anything you find immediately."
"Yes, Your Highness." The brigadier general led his men away. Liu Liu turned and walked towards the rear chambers, with Feng Xie following closely behind.
Nangong Yue, unconscious, was laid on a bed. Liu Liu ordered Hong Xiu to fetch clean water to help cleanse him and instructed Dai Mei to immediately find a military physician to assess his condition.
Dai Mei departed. Feng Xie walked to Liu Liu's side. Seeing her busily attending to him, he felt a pang of dissatisfaction. He reminded Liu Liu, "See if there is a plum blossom mark on his arm. If he is not your brother Su Liufeng, why bother with such a person?"
Upon hearing his words, Liu Liu immediately reached out and pulled up Nangong Yue's sleeve. There, a plum blossom mark was clearly visible. So, he truly was her brother.
It was clear that he had taken her words to heart. Upon returning, he had conducted an experiment and discovered that he was indeed Su Liufeng.
Since he knew he was Su Liufeng, he must have confronted Nangong Yu. To think that Nangong Yu, that madman, would harm him.
Liu Liu thought of this, and her heart ached. She reached out and gently stroked Nangong Yue's face, which was thin and devoid of color. She knew he loved her.
At that time, she had thought he merely considered her a friend. After all, who would have thought a handsome man would like an unattractive person?
By the time she realized his feelings, her heart had already let go of Feng Xie. But she never imagined that he would turn out to be her brother, Su Liufeng.
No wonder she felt a sense of closeness whenever she saw him. She instinctively wanted to seek him out whenever something happened. It turned out all of this was because they shared the same blood.