Prince of Runan, Murong Xiong, led two hundred cavalry into the city of Youzhou.
Prince of Runan, Murong Xiong, was a burly figure, clad in brocade and jade. He rode at the forefront, followed by two hundred valiant soldiers, all mounted on strong warhorses. They wore iron helmets with fur-lined brims, yellowish silk robes over their iron armor, and carried long sabers at their waists. Their backs were straight, and they swayed slightly with the movement of their horses. The clatter of hooves and the clash of weapons against armor created a constant din, making them appear exceptionally imposing and orderly, drawing curious glances from passersby.
"What are they afraid of?"
Murong Xiong was not, of course, referring to the common folk. It was to be expected that ordinary people would fear an army, especially a barbarian one. Murong Xiong was referring to the fact that when he entered the city earlier, only he and his two hundred followers were allowed in, and the city gate guards had been exceptionally vigilant and prepared.
"Your Highness, what can a widow and her child do but fear?" replied Hou Chongyou, a strategist from the Prince's mansion, who was walking alongside Murong Xiong.
Murong Xiong couldn't help but burst into laughter at this remark.
Murong Xiong was the younger brother of Murong Xi. He had been ordered to the capital this time, ostensibly to defend it from internal rebellion, but in reality, to contend for the throne. Thus, Murong Xiong had mobilized the entire ten thousand-strong army of Runan and headed towards the capital.
However, halfway there, he received news that the Emperor of the Great Yan, Murong Xi, had "died unexpectedly," and the imperial throne of the Great Yan had changed hands. Murong Xiong was shocked and angered by this news, and deeply disappointed. Nevertheless, he led his troops to Youzhou, intending to seize the throne when the opportunity arose.
Murong Xiong was shocked and angered, but he felt no grief over his brother's death.
Currently, the direct descendants of Emperor Gaozu of Yan were led by Murong Xiong. Therefore, after Murong Xi's death, according to the order of succession, it should have been Murong Xiong's turn to ascend the throne. At least, that was Murong Xiong's belief.
"Physician Hou, what is your brilliant plan?" Murong Xiong, surrounded by two hundred loyal guards, kept the common people at bay. He openly asked for counsel on the street.
"Your Highness, this is the main street, you...?" Murong Xiong was bold, but Hou Chongyou was timid and cautious. He glanced around and asked.
"Speak quickly! Don't you know I am impatient? I have a hundred thousand troops, what are you afraid of?" Murong Xiong turned to Hou Chongyou and said angrily.
Your hundred thousand troops are still outside the city. It would be as easy as pie for them to take your life right now, Hou Chongyou grumbled in his heart before replying, "Your Highness, only after I have an audience with the Empress Dowager and His Majesty will I have a plan."
"Indeed..." Murong Xiong nodded and said, "In that case, let us go and meet that young sister-in-law."
Hou Chongyou wanted to advise Murong Xiong not to address her as "young sister-in-law" during the audience, but after thinking about it, he dared not.
...
"Haha, young sister-in-law, it has been a long time. I have missed you dearly..." As Murong Xiong stepped into the Golden Hall and saw Empress Dowager Murong Qing and the new Emperor Murong Yi of Yan, he spread his arms and rushed forward, intending to perform a Western Regions-beyond-the-Western-Regions greeting of embrace.
"Prince of Runan!" Murong Qing smiled and remained silent, which angered the young Emperor Murong Yi. Murong Yi pointed at Murong Xiong and sternly reprimanded, "This is the Grand Hall, not your home. How dare you forget the hierarchy and your station?"
Murong Xiong stood there with his arms outstretched, in an awkward position, neither advancing nor retreating, causing the eunuchs and maids to secretly snicker.
"Your Majesty, the Prince of Runan is your uncle. You should treat him with courtesy," Murong Qing said to Murong Yi before stepping forward, offering a bow, and smiling, "Qing greets Uncle. Uncle has traveled far and must be tired."
"You are too kind, too kind," Murong Xiong cast a glance at Murong Yi, thinking, this young emperor seems quite formidable. What is this about hierarchy and station? Where did he learn that?
"His Majesty needs to rest. You may escort him inside," Murong Qing instructed the eunuchs and maids to escort Murong Yi into the inner hall. Then, she invited Murong Xiong to sit in the main hall, giving him the seat of honor, while she sat beside him, appearing exceptionally respectful.
Before the Xianbei established their nation, there were not so many elaborate ceremonies. When discussing matters, they would sit in a circle, and the seats naturally had little distinction of seniority. Therefore, Murong Xiong did not decline and felt nothing amiss as he sat down imposingly on the Golden Hall.
"Uncle has arrived, Qing finally has someone to rely on," Murong Qing then said to Murong Xiong.
"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Murong Xiong removed his iron helmet, opened his collar to reveal the black hair on his chest, and fanned himself with the helmet while staring directly at Murong Qing.
Murong Qing had been stunningly beautiful in her youth, possessing a beauty that could make the moon and flowers feel ashamed. Years had passed, and while her youthful charm had faded, her figure had become more voluptuous. Men of Murong Xiong's age generally preferred full-figured women with ample bosoms and rounded hips. Thus, Murong Xiong's gaze towards Murong Qing was lecherous...
However, Murong Xiong preferred the position beneath Murong Qing's buttocks more... Of course, obtaining both beauty and the throne would be even better.
"Uncle..." Murong Qing took out a silk scarf, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said with a soft sob, "The late Emperor has departed this world, leaving behind a widow and an orphan. Everyone wishes to step on us. Now that Uncle has arrived, there is someone to protect me."
"Slam!" Murong Xiong heard this and became furious. He slammed his iron helmet onto the ground, clenched the hilt of his saber, and said, "Who dares to be so bold? Just tell me, Sister-in-law, and with my hundred thousand troops, I will surely turn them into minced meat."
Murong Xiong always mentioned his hundred thousand troops, as if afraid that people wouldn't know.
"Uncle..." Murong Qing heard this and smiled charmingly with joy. She picked up the iron helmet from the ground, wiped it with a silk scarf, walked over to Murong Xiong, and placed it back on his head. Her body naturally leaned against Murong Xiong.
"Uncle has traveled far and must be tired. I will prepare a banquet for you now. Let us drink and talk today, shall we?" Murong Qing leaned against Murong Xiong and said softly.
"This is most kind of you, young sister-in-law Empress Dowager..." A rich fragrance wafted towards him, making Murong Xiong's bones feel weak. He even reached out and pinched Murong Qing's rosy cheek, as if in a brothel.
As long as he possessed this world, this tempting young widowed empress dowager, and all the beauties in the palace, wouldn't they all be his? Murong Xiong rejoiced in his heart, wishing he could immediately command his hundred thousand troops to charge forward, to kill until the sky turned dark and the earth was covered in blood, and then claim both the empire and the beauties for himself.
...
"My elder sister, do you truly intend to act?" Murong Kang asked Murong Qing.
"Right Virtuous King..." Murong Qing gently stroked the dragon carving on the throne with her slender fingers and said softly, "This is not our home, but the imperial court. Do not forget the hierarchy and your station."
"Yes, Empress Dowager," Murong Kang said, a hint of anger in his eyes.
"Kang brother..." Murong Qing smiled and said, "You are my own brother. After Father died, I had no one to rely on. If I don't rely on you, who can I rely on? But this position of mine was not easily obtained. I hope you can understand."
"Hmm..." Murong Kang nodded and said, "How can my brother not know that your position was not easily obtained? Elder sister, if it was not easily obtained, you should be even more cautious. Are you sure this matter will not bring disaster?"
"Sister naturally knows that it may be a great disaster," Murong Qing nodded. "But if not for this matter, disaster would strike immediately."
...
Late at night, the Left Virtuous King's Residence.
The night was deep and quiet; all things in the world should be slumbering. The twilight, like a dark gray net, quietly descended from the sky, enveloping the entire land, enveloping the Left Virtuous King's Residence, and about to conceal all the sins of the world, or perhaps the human tragedy that Heaven could not bear to witness.
"Pop... pop..." With a few sounds, several sparks suddenly flew up outside the wall of the Left Virtuous King's Residence. The sparks burst from the tips of the flames and, carried by the wind, drifted high. The red light flickered in the black night sky, like the stars on a midsummer night, speckling the darkness and appearing exceptionally conspicuous.
Following the sparks came rows of flames. The flames from the burning torches crackled and popped. The Yan army soldiers, holding torches, stood in their helmets and armor, solemn outside the Left Virtuous King's Residence, standing in the misty night, standing in the strong wind, like rows of black iron towers, chilling people to the bone.
"Fzzt!" A flaming arrow shot into the sky, like a meteor streaking across the heavens. It descended from the sky and landed within the Left Virtuous King's Residence.
The flaming arrow was the signal. As it landed within the Left Virtuous King's Residence, rows of torches were thrown inside.
In an instant, the Left Virtuous King's Residence was engulfed in raging flames. The wind fueled the fire, and the fire emboldened the wind. The roaring flames swirled in the sky, like a fiery beast, with ferocity, opening its blood-red maw to devour everything in the world. The unrestrained howling, the suffocating crackling, all of this presaged that the Left Virtuous King's Residence would not escape calamity today.
"Fire!"
"Fire, fire!"
"Clang... clang... clang..."
Inside the Left Virtuous King's Residence, someone unknown shouted, and then the mansion was filled with terrified cries, interspersed with the screams of women and the weeping of children. Soon after, there were the shouts of hundreds and thousands, the weeping of hundreds and thousands, the barking of dogs of hundreds and thousands, the collapsing sounds of buildings, the explosions, the cries for help, the whistling of the wind. All a thousand sounds mingled together. Of course, there were also the sounds of the mansion's residents trying to extinguish the fire, but how could the Prince of Runan's troops outside allow the Left Virtuous King's Residence to fight the fire?
"The Left Virtuous King has received the nation's favor for generations, yet he does not consider loyalty to the sovereign and the country, but rather plots rebellion! By imperial decree, seize the entire Left Virtuous King's Residence, not a single soul shall be spared!" A general of Runan Yan, mounted on a powerful horse, brandished his saber and shouted, "Charge in and capture the Left Virtuous King, Murong Bole, alive or dead, and a thousand gold and ten thousand households shall be rewarded."
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Rebels rebel, all who kill them shall be rewarded!"
Murong Xiong, the Prince of Runan of Yan, led several thousand troops into the city and surrounded the Left Virtuous King's Residence so tightly that not a drop of water could leak through. In an instant, the Runan army stormed into the Left Virtuous King's Residence.