Phoenix Mountain
Because there was a tough battle scheduled for the next day, Xiao Changgong had ordered the army to rest early and conserve their strength.
The villagers in the two villages at the foot of Phoenix Mountain had already been massacred. Now, both the villages and the mountain were occupied by his Hanzhong Army.
All they had to do was wait for Xiao Che, that mere boy, to die tomorrow, and then they could storm the city and take the capital.
Xiao Changgong was staying in the village chief's house in Nanshan Village, the largest courtyard in the village, yet the room still carried a damp, earthy smell.
But it didn't matter. After tomorrow, the entire world would be his.
They had marched through the night, arriving just before dawn yesterday. Although slaughtering unarmed civilians didn't take much effort, they had to remain vigilant to prevent any leaks of information.
He hadn't slept well for days. Just as he closed his eyes and was about to drift off, a commotion erupted in the courtyard.
Then, he heard He Jing's voice outside the door, "Your Highness, something has happened."
"Xiao Che returned to the capital overnight?" Xiao Changgong, who had slept fully clothed and still in his armor, spoke with a hint of displeasure.
It was clear that his words had struck a nerve.
In his opinion, nothing else could be considered a major event except for Xiao Che's night march back to the capital.
"No, Your Highness. Many Kongming lanterns suddenly appeared outside. The guards on duty, fearing they would attract attention, shot them down. Who knew that the lanterns had oil attached to them, and Phoenix Mountain and Hulu Village caught fire..." He Jing's voice trailed off.
By the time everyone realized these Kongming lanterns were problematic, they had stopped shooting. But inexplicably, they continued to descend one by one, and there was no way to stop them.
Because of the oil, the moment the Kongming lanterns landed, the flames erupted with immense intensity, gradually merging into one, and a large part of Phoenix Mountain was ablaze.
The entrance of Nanshan Village had also caught fire. If the soldiers continued to hold their positions, they would likely be burned alive.
"Where did these Kongming lanterns come from? Have they been identified?" Xiao Changgong gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
He wondered which scoundrel had devised such a wicked plan. With such a massive fire, all his schemes would be ruined by this incident.
"It should be from the Gu family's villa," He Jing replied.
"The Gu family?" Xiao Changgong's smile turned sinister. "How did you people assess them? Weren't they all just weak young ladies who couldn't even lift a chicken?"
How could a group of young ladies come up with such a malicious scheme?
He had even planned to use these young ladies to gain the support of those families. He never expected that sparing their lives would lead to such a disaster.
"They are indeed a group of young ladies. I have already dispatched a troop to apprehend them, and they will be at Your Highness's disposal. What should we do now?" He Jing asked tremblingly.
He Jing was Xiao Changgong's confidant and had always been favored by him. Even the Crown Prince had to flatter him. He had never been in such a situation before.
As a military general, he understood that a single move could trigger a chain reaction. If they couldn't find a solution, killing Xiao Che would not be so easy.
"What can we do? We must withdraw from Phoenix Mountain to Mang Mountain first," Xiao Changgong said through gritted teeth.
Mang Mountain was the imperial mausoleum of the Xiao family. He would not want to engage in a bloody battle there unless absolutely necessary, but now he had no choice.
Although Mang Mountain was guarded by the Imperial Guard, they could easily deal with them. They would retreat to Mang Mountain first and then devise a plan.
"But tomorrow..."
Tomorrow, Xiao Che would be able to reach Phoenix Mountain. His Highness had waited for such a good opportunity for so many years, and now he had to give it up just like that?
Wasn't that young master from the Wang family known as a strategist? Could he think of another plan?
"There are no 'buts.' Order the retreat," Xiao Changgong suppressed his rage.
As long as the green hills remain, there will be wood to burn. He could not stand by and watch the Hanzhong Army be burned to death.
"Yes!"
"Those people at the Gu family's villa... leave none alive."