[Wuxia] The Duan Family Women Generals (Complete) - 7

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Chapter Twenty – Emperor Duan Wen forcibly takes his minister's concubine; Wang Keji makes a scene at the Five Phoenix Tower.

It is said that Lady Qi, knowing she had lost her virginity to Duan Qi, was shocked and felt ashamed to face her husband. She covered her face with her silk skirt and banged her head against the table, startling Zhao Chan who grabbed her and pushed her to the bedside.
Duan Qi, hearing this, couldn't bear to see such a beautiful woman die, and rushed in, repeatedly saying, "My beauty, you mustn't, you mustn't!"
Lady Qi, seeing Duan Qi and remembering her loss to him, dared not look up, only weeping, saying she had no face to see her husband.
Duan Qi said, "Madam, why must you be like this? Now that you and I are bound by fate, why bother seeing your husband again? I only have the Empress now, and the East and West Palaces are lacking mistresses. Wouldn't it be better for you to become the Eastern Palace Consort than the Hanlin Academy Lady?"
"Exactly, exactly. Sister, you can stay in the palace forever to accompany me. Why bother seeing Wang Keji again?"
Although Qi Shi knew some martial arts, she was far inferior to Zhao Chan. Zhao Chan held her down, and she couldn't move at all. After a while, her emotions calmed down a bit. Seeing Duan Qi and Zhao Chan talking back and forth so tacitly, she suddenly realized that she could drink ten dou of wine without getting drunk. How could she have gotten so drunk after only a few cups and been so easily taken advantage of? Having some understanding in her heart, she pretended that there was nothing she could do and lowered her head, saying, "Your Majesty, I am another man's concubine, and my humble body dares not defile Your Majesty's sacred body."
"Your Majesty's beauty is unparalleled in the world. I saw you by chance on the street that day and was amazed by your divine beauty. Today, I am fortunate to finally be able to see your face."
"So, Your Majesty is interested in me?"
Qi asked. Duan Qi realized she had spoken out of turn and, not caring about anything else, simply stated bluntly, "Indeed, since the day I saw you, I have been unable to eat or sleep. I am very grateful to the Empress for arranging the birthday banquet so that we could meet."
"Since Your Majesty is interested in me, why doesn't the Empress say so directly? Why did you have to use some tricks during the banquet?"
"If I hadn't done it this way, I'm afraid my sister would not have agreed, which would have been unpleasant. Now that the deed is done, why don't you go with the flow and serve Your Majesty together with me, enjoying all the riches of the world?" Zhao Chan saw that the truth had already been revealed and there was no way to hide it anymore, so she might as well spill the beans and say whatever was on her mind.
"I have remained chaste for over twenty springs, yet today I have been schemed against by you all, losing all my honor. You are truly worse than pigs and dogs, unworthy to be emperors!"
Duan Qi's face turned red with embarrassment, and she was speechless. Zhao Chan quickly said, "This was all my idea. If you blame me, please blame me. You may scold or beat me as you please, but please do not blame the Emperor."
Qi Shi simply lowered her head and remained silent. Duan Qi and Zhao Chan talked for a while longer, and seeing that she seemed to be having some thoughts, Zhao Chan told Duan Qi to leave, and she stayed behind alone to persuade Qi Shi.
Zhao Chan, utterly shameless, recounted her past as Duan Qiao's concubine and her subsequent marriage to Duan Qi, saying, "Sister and I are both women, born only to please men. As the saying goes, 'People strive for higher positions, water flows downhill,' but to marry a considerate and good man, one who cherishes and holds you dear, is the greatest fortune in life. Can reputation feed you? Besides, even if you remain chaste for Wang Keji, he may not truly care for you. Even if you die, he might not shed a single tear."
"My husband has studied the classics and is certainly not as heartless and ungrateful as the Empress claims. How can I betray him?" "
Now that you are serving His Majesty, sister, go and tell the Emperor to greatly elevate Wang Keji's status for your sake. He will be grateful to you, wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"
Qi hesitated for a long time before saying, "Since things have come to this, what more can I say?"
“Then I will go and tell the Emperor.” Zhao Chan stood up, then suddenly remembered something and turned back, saying, “Sister, keep your word, don’t deceive me. If you die, I’m afraid Wang Keji’s life will also be taken by you.”
“Your subject understands.”
Duan Qi was overjoyed to hear that Lady Qi was not dead, and hurriedly ordered Hu Sheng to convey the imperial decree, bestowing upon Wang Keji the title of Marquis of Shangxian, with the titles of Vice Chancellor and Minister of Revenue. Then he ordered the eunuchs to prepare the Eastern Palace for Lady Qi to live in, and held a banquet there. You see, Duan Qi sat in the middle, with Zhao Chan on his left and Lady Qi on his right, enjoying himself immensely.
They drank until evening, and then he took Lady Zhao and Lady Qi to Lady Qi’s palace, where he stripped both of them naked. You see, the two beautiful women swayed their snow-white buttocks together, letting Duan Qi play with them for a while, and then they slept with Duan Qi, one on each side.
The next day, a palace official came to report that the newly appointed Marquis of Shangxian, Wang Keji, was outside the palace gates expressing his gratitude and wanted to take his concubine home. Before Duan Qi could speak, Zhao Chan said, "Just tell him that the matter of expressing gratitude is over. I want to keep his wife in the palace for a while longer, and then I will send her home."
As soon as the palace eunuch left, Duan Qi laughed, "Why not tell him about keeping his wife? Why hide it from him?"
Zhao Chan said, "That Wang Keji is a pedantic scholar. If I tell him now, he might cause a scene, and it won't look good. It's better to drag it out until he gradually forgets his sister, and then I can remind him."
"My wife is so thoughtful," Duan Qi smiled, and then stripped Zhao Chan and Lady Qi barefoot, playing the game of the hero capturing the beauty. Lady Qi also practiced martial arts, and her body was as supple as Zhao Chan's, which Duan Qi enjoyed.
Two months had passed in the blink of an eye. Wang Keji had initially come to the palace several times to fetch Lady Qi, but Zhao Chan only made excuses, leaving Wang Keji helpless. Later, he stopped coming altogether. Duan Qi assumed his feelings for Lady Qi had faded, and was secretly pleased.
On this day, the Mid-Autumn Festival, as was customary, Duan Qi hosted a banquet for his officials at the Five Phoenix Tower.
After several rounds of wine and dishes, Wang Keji suddenly stood up from his ranks and said, "Your Majesty, I request that Your Majesty grant my concubine the privilege of returning home."
Duan Qi was greatly surprised and speechless for a moment.
Wang Keji pleaded again, "Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to grant my concubine permission to return home."
Duan Qi replied, "It's not that I'm unwilling to let her go home, but the Empress favors her and wants her to serve in the palace. Let her stay a few more days."
Wang Keji said, "My concubine, Qi, has been serving Her Majesty the Empress in the palace for three months and has not returned home. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions. I beg Your Majesty to grant my concubine permission to return home and reunite with her family. I am now over forty years old and have no children. I beg Your Majesty to allow my concubine to return home, and once she has given birth to a son or daughter
, she can be sent back to the palace." Wang Keji's reasoning was absolutely valid, and Duan Qi had no reason to refuse. However, she had already been used by Duan Qi and was now the Emperor's possession. How could he allow her to bear a child for his subject? Duan Qi could have sex with other men's wives, but he would never allow someone else to have a woman he had used. So he blushed deeply and cursed Wang Keji inwardly for being so tactless.
Wang Keji had been inexplicably granted a marquisate, initially believing it was because Lady Qi had won the Empress's favor. However, after Lady Qi was kept in the palace for over a month, his suspicions grew.
As the saying goes, secrets don't stay hidden forever, and over time, the matter gradually leaked out of the palace.
Wang Keji, knowing that Lady Qi had been secretly promoted to the rank of Imperial Concubine by Duan Qi, was inwardly resentful but dared not show it outwardly. However, such news spread like wildfire, and soon everyone knew. Officials of all ranks in the Ministry of Personnel were gossiping privately. Wang Keji, a pedantic scholar, couldn't bear such backbiting and secretly harbored a strong desire to reclaim Lady Qi.
He knew that if he went to the palace gates to demand her return, Duan Qi might secretly kill him to silence him. Therefore, he chose to demand her return at the banquet today, in front of all the officials.
He thought that if Duan Qi were smart, he would return Qi Shi to the emperor. After all, Duan Qi couldn't admit to having slept with someone else's wife in front of so many people. He figured once Qi Shi returned home, he would find an opportunity for her to end her own life.
But Duan Qi's lust had reached a shameless level. Seeing himself cornered by Wang Keji, he shamelessly tore off the mask and said, "My dear Wang, let me tell you the truth. That Qi Shi is incredibly beautiful and has won my heart. I have already made her a Noble Consort of the Eastern Palace. You have done nothing to serve the court, yet I bestowed upon you a marquisate in exchange for Qi Shi entering the palace. Do you think I'm shortchanging you?"
This made Wang Keji blush deeply, unable to utter a single word. Wasn't this blatant cuckolding?
"Your Majesty, this humble subject has a memorial to present!" An angry and upright minister, already furious, hurriedly stepped forward and knelt. Duan Qi recognized him as Imperial Censor Feng Guozhong.
"Minister Feng, what memorial do you have to present?" Duan Qi dreaded seeing Feng Guozhong, a straightforward official who had long disapproved of Duan Qi and his associates' behavior. Whenever Duan Qi attended court, Feng Guozhong would inevitably criticize him, finding fault with everything. This was one of the reasons Duan Qi disliked attending court. Now, seeing him filled him with dread.
"Your Majesty, I have heard that a ruler should not trifle with his subject's wife. Since Lady Qi is Wang Keji's concubine and has not yet been divorced, how can Your Majesty bestow upon her the title of Imperial Concubine of the Eastern Palace and commit such an immoral act?"
Before Duan Qi could speak, Wang Feilian stepped forward and said, "Bold Feng Guozhong, this is a family matter between His Majesty and Lord Wang. Lord Wang has not said anything yet, so how can outsiders interfere?"
"In that case, Lord Wang, what do you intend to say?" Feng Guozhong only looked at Wang Keji.
You know, even honest men have their characteristics; don't provoke him, or he'll do anything. Wang Keji pondered for a moment. He had already made it clear that Lady Qi belonged to him; forcing her would be tantamount to adultery with the emperor's favorite. A sudden inspiration struck him, but it was a last resort. He said, "Your Majesty, even so, I still have a prior marriage agreement with her. If Your Majesty wishes to make her a concubine, she must come to see me personally to settle our past relationship. I will divorce her first. Her marriage to me is still in effect; it's like selling myself in a brothel. How can I allow her to enter the palace to serve Your Majesty?"
"Your words are polite. Write me a letter of divorce right now."
Wang Keji then asked for writing materials, wrote a letter of divorce, and tucked it into his robes, saying, "Your Majesty, please summon Lady Qi. I will personally deliver this letter of divorce to you."
"You may simply deliver the letter of divorce to me."
"Your Majesty, this is a misconception. Traditionally, when a wife is divorced, she is either given to her father or brother, or to herself. She sold herself to my family to bury her father; according to custom, she should come and collect the divorce papers herself. Now that she hasn't received the papers, she is my concubine. What does Your Majesty consider her? This is against propriety."
Duan Qi had no idea what this pretentious bookworm was thinking, and thought he really meant it. He hurriedly ordered someone to invite the Crown Prince's Consort.
Feng Guozhong, upon seeing this, cursed inwardly, thinking, "I thought Wang Keji was a disciple of the sage, a truly upright man, but who knew he…!! If I had known this, why would I have stood up for him?" Thinking this, he angrily retreated back to his ranks.
A short while later, Lady Qi came out to see the Emperor. The officials saw that she was indeed beautiful and charming, a woman of unparalleled beauty. No wonder Duan Qi had forcibly taken her as a concubine despite her status as someone else's beloved.
Upon seeing Lady Qi, Duan Qi hurriedly said, "My beloved concubine, Wang Keji is already in the palace. You can explain to him and ask for a letter of divorce to end your previous intimacy."
Lady Qi responded, bowed twice, and walked gracefully until she reached Wang Keji. There, she gave a full curtsy and said, "Lady Qi greets Lord Wang."
Upon seeing Lady Qi, Wang Keji was furious. He grabbed her by the front of her clothes and shouted, "How dare you, Lady Qi! You have committed adultery and disgraced your family! What is your punishment? Come home with me immediately!"
Duan Qi was startled and said, "Minister Wang, don't go! Release my beloved concubine immediately!"
Wang Keji said, "A woman follows her husband after marriage. She is currently my concubine. I have not yet given her a letter of divorce. I can divorce her if I wish, or beat, scold, or even kill her if I don't. It is all up to me, and it has nothing to do with the Emperor."
"She is my beloved concubine! How can it have nothing to do with me?"
“Since I have not divorced her, according to the law, she is still my concubine, not your wife. I only wish for her to return home and bear me a child, not to divorce her.”
“You audacious Wang Keji! How dare you deceive me? Aren’t you afraid of the crime of deceiving the emperor?”
“Your Majesty!” Feng Guozhong suddenly stepped forward and said, “Why is Your Majesty stopping Lord Wang?”
“He has stolen my beloved concubine.”
“Qi is currently Wang Keji’s concubine. Wang Keji was betrothed to her before Your Majesty’s affair with him. How can you say he stole Your Majesty’s beloved concubine? Now Wang Keji wants to reclaim his concubine, which is perfectly reasonable and legal.”
“Qi has already been favored by me. How can a woman who has received my favor bear a child with another?”
"Hmph! As the saying goes, a ruler should not trifle with his subject's wife. Since Your Majesty knows that a woman who has received Your Majesty's favor cannot be a wife, how can you not know that since she is a wife, how can Your Majesty bestow favor upon her? You, as the Emperor of the Great Zhen Dynasty, are arrogant, extravagant, and licentious, corrupting the moral order, and now you want to forcibly marry my concubine, throwing away all the dignity of a ruler!" Wang Keji shouted.
"Bold Wang Keji, how dare you utter such disrespectful words? You deserve to be torn to pieces!" Zhao Jian and Wang Feilian came out together and shouted.
"What disrespectful words? Your Majesty married the late Emperor's concubine, does that count as having a father and a ruler?"
"How dare you! Guards!" Duan Qi was so angry and embarrassed by the scolding that he hurriedly shouted. Many Imperial Guards entered and were about to arrest him when Duan Qi hurriedly shouted, "Wait! Don't hurt my beloved concubine!"
With Lady Qi in his grasp, the Imperial Guards dared not step forward. Wang Keji was surrounded and could not get out. The two sides were locked in a stalemate.
Duan Qi, his mind solely focused on Consort Qi, repeatedly cried out, "Wang Keji, quickly release my Consort Qi, and I will pardon you!"
Zhao Jian, Wang Feilian, and a group of treacherous officials echoed his cries. A few ministers, unwilling to align themselves with the treacherous officials and fearing for Wang Keji's safety, stepped forward to intervene.
Wang Keji, enraged, intended to kill Consort Qi and then commit suicide, but he couldn't bring swords to the emperor's court, so he could only strangle her. However, being a scholar, he only managed to hold her for a short while before Consort Qi's face turned purple, a terrifying sight. Remembering their past affection, he couldn't bear it and released her, her eyes filled with tears as she wept bitterly.
The moment he released her, the Imperial Guards swarmed forward and seized Wang Keji.
"Quickly, push this traitor away and strike him on the head with the golden mace!" Duan Qi ordered.
What will become of Wang Keji? To be continued...

Chapter Twenty-One – A Fierce Woman Dies in the Palace, a Loyal Minister is Executed at the Meridian Gate. Last time

, Duan Qi ordered Wang Keji to be dragged out of the palace and executed. At this moment, Feng Guozhong shouted, “Your Majesty, you already publicly promised to release him. If Lord Wang releases Lady Qi, he will be pardoned. How can you go back on your word?”
Just as Duan Qi was about to erupt in anger, Lady Qi spoke up, “
Your Majesty, I have something to say.” Seeing it was Lady Qi, Duan Qi replied, “My beauty, what is it?”
“Your Majesty, although Wang Keji spoke rudely and offended Your Majesty, I was in the wrong. Your Majesty should forgive him for my sake.”
“Since my beloved concubine pleads for him, I will forgive him this time.”
“Your Majesty, I have another request.”
“If you have something to say, please speak to me directly.”
"Although I am no longer related to him, even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. I beg Your Majesty to grant him a decree of immortality for my sake. No matter how disrespectful he may be in the future, as long as he does not rebel, there will be no way to kill him. Would
Your Majesty agree?" "I will grant all my beloved consort's requests."
"Then please, Your Majesty, issue him the imperial decree, and have all the ministers in the hall sign it as proof, so that they will never go back on their word."
Duan Qi only cared about Qi Shi and didn't care about anything else. He drafted the decree in the hall, used the imperial seal, and had all the ministers sign it. Then Qi Shi took it and went to Wang Keji and said, "My lord, I bid you farewell from now on. You must take good care of yourself. Give me
the letter of divorce, and from now on, you and the Emperor should not be entangled in this matter again." Wang Keji had no choice but to accept the decree and hand the letter of divorce to Qi Shi.
Lady Qi took the letter of divorce, turned and went into the hall, then suddenly stopped and said, "Lord Wang Keji, give me the letter of divorce. I am no longer a concubine of the Wang family. From now on, my honor and disgrace are no longer related to the Wang family."
Wang Keji said, "Indeed."
Lady Qi then said, "Your Majesty, from now on I am an imperial concubine. Even if I make a fool of myself, it will be in the dignity of the court?"
Duan Qi replied, "Indeed."
Lady Qi then tore open her palace dress in the hall, revealing her bodice underneath, and then untied her palace skirt, revealing her two fair and pink legs and a pair of round and beautiful buttocks.
The ministers were terrified and knelt on the ground, covering their faces. She was now an imperial concubine, and even unintentional exposure of her body was punishable by death. Duan Qi cried out in alarm, "My beauty, why are you doing this?"
Qi, stripped down to only a bodice, stood on the platform and laughed loudly, "Your Majesty, is my body beautiful?"
"Beautiful, beautiful! My beloved concubine is stunningly beautiful. Quickly put on your clothes; what kind of decorum is this?"
"Duan Qi, you wicked and incompetent ruler, you still know about propriety? I ask you, according to the Great Zhen Law, what is the crime of adultery within the palace? Your son committed adultery with his stepmother Zhao Chan, violating the great moral order between parents. What kind of propriety is this? I ask you again, according to the Great Zhen Law, what is the crime of adultery with another man's wife and daughter? You knew I was a minister's concubine, yet you and the adulterous Empress Zhao Chan set a trap, poisoning my wine and drugging and raping me. Where is the virtue of a ruler? What kind of propriety is this? You have long since corrupted the propriety of the Great Zhen Dynasty's royal family, so what do you care about propriety? I am merely spreading some more of your insidious virtue." "If you want to take a fancy to someone's wife, you don't need a drug; just summon her husband and you can have her. Since you've already slept with a married woman, what are you afraid of your imperial concubine making a fool of herself? Now, why don't you bestow me upon all the ministers? Wouldn't it be best if the emperor and his ministers enjoyed themselves together?"
The ministers had initially thought that Lady Qi was coveting the wealth and power of the imperial family and had colluded with Duan Qi in adultery. Now, they all understood that it was the emperor and empress who had plotted to
drug and rape her. Even those treacherous ministers, though they dared not say it aloud, all felt that Duan Qi was utterly outrageous. Duan Qi, though he was unscrupulous when he was with other men's women, would not tolerate his own woman being taken advantage of. Not to mention that Lady Qi had exposed his true colors so easily. He immediately flew into a rage and said, "How dare you, Lady Qi, spout such nonsense here! Guards, seize her immediately and strike her on the head with the golden mace!"
"No need for such trouble." Lady Qi snapped, suddenly pulling a sharp pair of scissors from her bodice. "Duan Qi, I am a daughter of a good family, unlike that Zhao Chan, a depraved and lewd woman. Now that you have ruined my reputation, I have long since disregarded life and death. But if I were to die in the deep palace, you might accuse me of assassination, or say I was executed for being disrespectful. I would have no way to clear my name in this life, and I was afraid you would harm my husband's family, so I pretended to be compliant. Now that the truth has come out, what reason do I have to live in this world? Wang Keji, my husband! Although I am disgraced, my heart will always be with you. You see, I have been in the palace for many days, and Duan Qi has given me countless beautiful clothes. I only kept the bodice I brought from home. Now that I am gone, you should quickly leave the capital and find a quiet place in the countryside to live well with my elder sister and second sister. Do not serve as an official in the court."
"You, I..." Wang Keji suddenly understood Qi's good intentions. He was overwhelmed with love, hate, and regret, unsure what to say.
Qi inserted the scissors into her lower body, saying, "Husband, this place has been defiled by the tyrant. I will no longer use it." With that, she gritted her teeth and plunged the scissors into her vagina. She cried out in pain and fell to the ground, but didn't stop, repeatedly stabbing herself with the scissors, blood spurting everywhere.
Qi stabbed herself more than a dozen times, leaving her beautiful lower body a bloody mess, unrecognizable. She rolled around on the ground in agony. Wang Keji was stunned, standing there screaming in terror.
Despite the pain, Lady Qi crawled to her feet, pointed the scissors at Duan Qi, and said, "You wicked ruler, you have committed a heinous crime and will surely be punished by Heaven! Even in the underworld, I will never let you get away with this!" With that, she turned the scissors around and plunged them upwards from under her left breast into her heart. She vomited several mouthfuls of blood, knelt down, and died on the ground.
This scene was completely unexpected. The blood of this virtuous woman stained the Five Phoenix Tower red and stirred the blood of many men. Wang Keji, though a scholar, was already heartbroken by the defilement of his concubine. Seeing Lady Qi's chastity, his heroic spirit was ignited. He rushed forward, embraced her body, and wept bitterly.
Duan Qi was stunned upon seeing this. Knowing things were going badly, he turned to flee, but Wang Keji saw him and roared, "Duan Qi, where do you think you're going? Give me back my concubine's life!" He lunged at Duan Qi, and several nearby ministers quickly grabbed him, trying to dissuade him. But what could they do? Wang Keji only roared, "Duan Qi, don't go! Even if you go to the ends of the earth, you must restore my concubine's innocence!"
Duan Qi's actions were too outrageous, and the outcome was too unexpected. Even those sycophantic officials dared not step forward. Only Zhao Jian and Wang Feilian shouted, "Wang Keji, how dare you! That Qi woman is no longer a member of your Wang family. Her death is a matter for the royal family, what does it have to do with you? Do you want to die?"
Wang Keji said, "What joy is there in living, what fear is there in dying? Duan Qi, I know I'm just a lowly scholar, and I can't do anything to you. I will travel the world and tell everyone about your shameful deeds."
"Go ahead and tell them! Go ahead and tell them!" Duan Qi roared back.
“Your Majesty, we can’t let him speak! Wouldn’t that damage the reputation of Your Majesty and Empress?” Zhao Jian said.
“In that case, guards, quickly execute Wang Keji and report back.”
“Your Majesty, no!” Feng Guozhong also stepped forward and said, “Wang Keji has an imperial edict of immortality granted by the Emperor, and all the court officials can testify that he did not plot a rebellion. He cannot be killed.”
Wang Feilian said, “Your Majesty, you can order the guards to find and burn his edict of immortality, and then execute him to silence everyone.”
“Yes, yes, kill him quickly.”
“Your Majesty, no! The fault lies with you. You can only sincerely apologize and appease him with kind words. How can you kill him to silence him?” Feng Guozhong said again.
“Feng Guozhong, I do not speak of the Emperor’s faults, but you are a tyrant. Aren’t you afraid of death?” Wang Feilian said.
"I only know loyalty to the emperor and serving the country. A righteous emperor and an upright minister are both loyal. If the emperor has faults, a minister should speak out; if the emperor has faults, a minister should cover them up. To fulfill one's duty as a minister, even death would be worthy of historical renown. Unlike some treacherous villains who flatter and fawn, aiding and abetting evil, helping the emperor commit wrongdoing, they will likely leave behind an eternal infamy."
"Well done, Feng Guozhong! Who are you calling a treacherous villain?"
"I don't need to say it, all the ministers know!"
"Your Majesty, Feng Guozhong cannot be allowed to live either. Even after Wang Keji dies, he will likely spread this matter." Zhao Jiansu, who was at odds with Feng Guozhong, seized the opportunity to stir up trouble.
"Very well, men, seize Feng Guozhong as well and behead him as well."
At this moment, a minister stepped forward. He was also surnamed Wang, and was none other than Wang Bingzhi, the Duke of Yu. He was a descendant of Wang Wandi, a veteran general of the previous dynasty. He had inherited the dukedom through the virtue of his ancestors and usually did not concern himself with court affairs. However, when he saw that Feng Guozhong was to be killed, he knew that he was the most loyal minister in the court, so he hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Feng Guozhong is righteous and outspoken, and is a pillar of the country. He must not be killed!"
"Indeed, he must not be killed!" At once, seven or eight loyal ministers knelt down on the ground.
Wang Feilian whispered to Duan Qi, "Your Majesty, although the fault lies with you, if you spare them, your prestige will be ruined, and how will you govern the court?
Your Majesty must make the best of a bad situation and execute one or two to prevent others from following suit." Duan Qi replied, "My dear ministers, there's no need for further discussion. Wang Keji and Feng Guozhong must be executed." "Your Majesty, Feng Guozhong cannot be killed. Please grant him special mercy."
Duan Qi, always obedient to the two treacherous ministers Zhao Jian and Wang Feilian, insisted on killing Feng Guozhong. Wang Bingzhi pleaded repeatedly, but to no avail, infuriating Wang Bingzhi to the point of rage. He roared, "Your Majesty, if it weren't for the incompetence and tyranny of the previous dynasty, Yang Kun, who lost the people's hearts, how could we have the Great Zhen Dynasty today? How difficult it was for our ancestors to establish this empire! Now you are repeating Yang Kun's mistakes: a son taking his father's concubine, distancing yourself from loyal subjects and favoring flatterers. You allowed Zhao Jian and Zhao Chan to falsely accuse Empress Xu, and now you are committing adultery with your minister's wife and arbitrarily killing virtuous officials. Who in the world will serve the country now? I fear the foundation laid by our ancestors will be destroyed in your hands. How will you face the ancestors of the Great Zhen Dynasty in the afterlife?" His words left Duan Qi speechless.
"Your Majesty," Zhao Jian said from the side, "Wang Bingzhi's slander against the fate of the nation deserves to be executed by slow slicing."
"You shameless scoundrel! With famine raging and bandits rampant, instead of advising the Emperor to govern diligently and care for the people, you have, to curry favor with him, allowed the late Emperor's concubine to claim her as your own daughter. The Emperor's son taking a concubine as his wife is a violation of human ethics and propriety—all your fault! A scoundrel like you deserves to be torn to pieces! Your Majesty, though you have made a mistake, it is not too late to repent. Just dismiss those scoundrels like Zhao Jian and Wang Feilian, and depose that Zhao clan demon..." "Your Majesty, if you appoint loyal and upright ministers like Feng Guozhong and listen to honest advice, the nation still has hope for revival. You must not become a ruler who ruins the country!"
Wang Feilian said, "Your Majesty, Wang Bingzhi speaks ill of the nation's fate and has now falsely accused the Emperor's father-in-law. He should be executed."
Upon hearing this, Duan Qi hurriedly said, "Minister Wang is right. Guards, take Wang Bingzhi out and execute him as well."
The guards on both sides came forward and dragged Wang Bingzhi away. Wang Bingzhi cursed loudly, "Duan Qi, you foolish ruler, you don't listen to advice..." Loyalty, the Dazhen Dynasty will surely perish in your hands sooner or later!
Duan Qi just shouted: "Kill, kill, kill!" Kill quickly! "
The ministers who were interceding for Feng Guozhong with Wang Zhizhi hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, Duke Wang Guozhi made reckless remarks and contradicted the Emperor. He should be severely punished, but since he is dedicated to serving the public, please show mercy to the Emperor! "
Zhao Jian said: "He is dedicated to the public good. Could it be that Prime Minister Wang and I are dedicated to selfish interests? They are all loyal ministers. Is the emperor a coward? This king must be killed!
Duan Qi immediately echoed: "That's right, I just like women a little bit." If a concubine dies, does it mean that he is a coward, and will his country be destroyed? Wang Zhizhi must kill!
Everyone still begged for mercy. When Duan Qi saw Wang Feilian's expression on his behalf, he understood and said: "My dear friends, I have made up my mind. Anyone who dares to plead for him again will be guilty of the same crime as them." "
Seeing this, all the ministers knew there was no hope, so they had to stand up and remain silent.
After a while, three ministers were beheaded and their heads were presented.
Zhao Jian and Wang Feilian knew that the families of these three men would not forgive them, so they petitioned again: "Your Majesty, Wang Keji desecrated the imperial concubine's corpse in court, and Feng Guozhong and Wang Bingzhi confronted Your Majesty, speaking ill of you and slandering ministers. These are all heinous crimes. We beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to arrest all three of their families and execute them all. Furthermore, issue a widespread warrant to capture their associates, and once caught, execute them on the spot."
"It is entirely up to you two ministers," Duan Qi replied hastily, "and I request that you two supervise the execution." He quickly left the palace and returned to his quarters. The two treacherous ministers hastily dispatched troops from the Five Cities Garrison to arrest the three families.
Whether the three families will escape remains to be seen; we shall find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Twenty-Two – Duan Qi's Lewdness at the Leopard Garden and the Rise of the Northwest States

: Duan Qi returned to the palace and recounted the events at the Five Phoenix Tower. Zhao Chan, upon hearing this, was secretly delighted at having avenged her old grudge and said, "Your Majesty, what's the big deal about a few ministers dying? Why are you so unhappy? Just sit in the palace, and I'll keep you company every day. Let the two prime ministers handle anything else."
After being coaxed by Zhao Chan for a while, Duan Qi's anger subsided, and he wanted to play the game of capturing the beauty alive again. Suddenly, Zhao Chan said, "Your Majesty, did you order the two prime ministers to raid the families of those three old traitors?"
"Indeed, what is your intention, my Lady?"
"Isn't His Majesty's Leopard Garden lacking live prey for the leopards? Why not send someone to find the two prime ministers and keep those three young, tender women and children in the Cold Palace? When His Majesty wants, he can take a couple to the Leopard Garden to feed the leopards for his amusement. His Majesty has also learned these capture techniques from me for a long time; why not try them out on them? If His Majesty likes one, once he has captured and bound her properly, enjoy her on the spot, and then feed her to the tigers and leopards, wouldn't that be better?"
"Your Majesty's wife has indeed come up with a good idea." Duan Qi praised, and hurriedly sent someone to find Zhao Jian and Wang Feilian. The two treacherous villains had just arrested the entire families, servants, and women of the three households, and were about to take them to the execution ground for execution. Among them, Wang Bingzhi's family had the most, totaling more than 130 people, followed by Feng Guozhong with more than 90 people, plus Wang Keji's wives, concubines, and family members, totaling more than 260 people. Hearing that Duan Qi was going to select people, they ordered all these people to be taken away and headed straight for the palace.
The three families, along with the soldiers, were unaware of why their masters had been murdered. Only the two treacherous officials, Zhao and Wang, knew, but they were to keep it a secret, only saying that the three men had offended the emperor in person, a heinous crime. Thus, the three families were utterly bewildered, and wept incessantly.
Soon they entered the back gate of the imperial city and waited in the courtyard. Zhao Chan accompanied Duan Qi to inspect the prisoners. They selected over forty young and beautiful ladies, concubines, young mistresses, and pretty maids, and imprisoned them in the Cold Palace. They also ordered a dozen or so young children to remain. The rest of the prisoners were stripped naked, bound together, and strangled with ropes. They were taken to an open area outside the southwest corner gate of the city. At noon, they were all executed simultaneously. The men were restrained and then beheaded, while the women were strangled with ropes after their genitals were stuffed with wooden sticks. The bodies, regardless of gender, were left exposed for three days. The scene was one of profound grief and utter devastation.
Duan Qi had the eunuchs herd the dozen or so children first, while he and Zhao Chan followed behind to the Leopard Garden. Duan Qi ordered the dozen or so children to be thrown into the enclosure. The tigers and leopards pounced, and within half a day, they had killed and eaten half the children. The remaining carcasses were carried by the leopards and hung high on tree branches.
The next day, Duan Qi selected two women from the women imprisoned in the Cold Palace: Wang Bingzhi's eldest granddaughter and his concubine, both sixteen or seventeen years old and beautiful.
Duan Qi first ordered Wang Bingzhi's concubine to be kept in the pavilion halfway up the mountain, under guard, while he and Zhao Chan escorted Wang Bingzhi's eldest granddaughter to the outside of the leopard enclosure.
Seeing the tigers, leopards, and the children's corpses in the trees, the girl trembled with fear.
Duan Qi told Zhao Chan to stand guard, then, holding a rope, said to the girl, "Look carefully, these tigers and leopards have been starving for days and crave human flesh. I will personally tie you up and put you inside to feed them. If you want to live, just struggle. If I can't tie you up within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, I will spare your life and send you to do hard labor in the cold palace. Do you understand?"
The girl nodded timidly and kept crying.
Duan Qi continued, "Stop crying. If you cry, how will you escape with your life? As long as you fight for your life, even if you injure me, I won't punish you, how about it?"
The girl nodded again, knowing that this was her chance to live. She quickly stood up and assumed a fighting stance.
Duan Qi told Zhao Chan to light incense and pounced on the girl.
The girl, wanting to save her life, fought with all her might, running wildly up the mountain, with Duan Qi in hot pursuit.
The young lady, pampered and spoiled, was no match for Duan Qi. In less than a dozen steps, Duan Qi had caught up with her. The girl quickly turned and hid behind a tree, using it as cover. She dodged several times, and when Duan Qi turned away, she ran to another tree. In this way, the girl used the trees to maneuver against Duan Qi, but she was no match for his agility. Duan Qi grabbed her arm and dragged her away.
Knowing she was in trouble, the girl kicked, punched, and bit, trying to break free.
Duan Qi wasn't about to let go. He had the grappling techniques Zhao Chan had taught him and was stronger than the girl. After struggling for a while, Duan Qi twisted her arm, tripped her, and laid her face down on the ground, where his rope bound her hands and feet.
The girl screamed in despair, and Duan Qi felt extremely smug. Although Zhao Chan had taught him martial arts, sparred with him, and tied him up, he knew she was letting him win, so he hadn't really enjoyed himself. Now, with a live target, he knew he could easily capture a girl, which gave him a great sense of accomplishment.
He lifted the girl up, holding the rope in one hand, and stripped off her clothes and shoes with the other, revealing her snow-white flesh. Although not as alluring as Zhao Chan, she was still pure and lovely. He placed her on a large rock, took off his undergarment, took out his "treasure," and raped the girl. Then he untied her ropes, dragged her up Eagle Beak Rock, and pushed her into the Leopard Garden.
The tigers and leopards, having eaten their fill the day before and having provisions, were resting and paid no attention to the girl. Duan Qi, growing impatient, ordered the eunuchs to rouse the tigers and leopards, chasing them around the leopard enclosure. This went on for almost half an hour, finally provoking the tigers and leopards, who then charged at the girl.
The rest is history: a group of tigers and leopards overtook the fleeing girl, pounced on her, bit her throat, and suffocated her by dragging her limbs. They didn't eat her, but instead, the largest leopard carried her slowly up a tree and hung her from a thick branch.
The girl hung there limply, a section of yellowish feces protruding from her thin, small bottom.
Seeing that the tigers and leopards were no longer hungry and had no energy to attack, Duan Qi also found it boring. So he ordered his men to send Wang Bingzhi's concubine back to the Cold Palace. After a few days, when the tigers and leopards had eaten all the carcasses in the trees, they brought the female prisoner back, bound her using capture techniques, raped her, and then pushed her into the leopard enclosure. Duan Qi then took pleasure in this every day, completely unaware that he had committed a grave crime.
It turned out that Wang Bingzhi was a hereditary duke, and he had a younger brother, Wang Bingzheng, who was the military governor of Daxiong Pass in the west and the commander of the four western passes, governing Daxiong Pass, Xiaoxiong Pass, Dacheng Pass, and Xiaocheng Pass. He was a powerful regional warlord with military power. Since Duan Qiao's reign, Wang Bingzheng had harbored rebellious intentions, secretly training troops and cultivating his cronies, waiting for an opportunity to seize the Duan family's power. He also had many spies in the capital, so as soon as Wang Bingzhi was killed, his spies sent him a message by fast horse.
When the two treacherous officials, Zhao and Wang, instigated Duan Qi to massacre Wang Bingzhi's entire family, they also considered Wang Bingzheng. Therefore, they sent an imperial envoy to arrest Wang Bingzheng, but Wang Bingzheng was at Daxiong Pass, and they dared not arrest him by force. They tried to trick him out, but having seen Xu Chengzhu's example, Wang Bingzheng was not about to fall for it. Soon, their spies arrived and reported the matter. Wang Bingzheng was furious and immediately summoned his generals, recounting Duan Qi's tyranny, his insult to a minister's wife, and his arbitrary killing of a high-ranking official. The crowd was enraged and demanded that Wang Bingzheng send troops to avenge him. Wang Bingzheng
immediately issued a proclamation, spreading it throughout the land, detailing Duan Qi's wicked deeds, stating that he would go to the capital to oversee the country, and demanding that Duan Qi depose the wicked Empress Zhao Chan, kill the treacherous officials Zhao Jian and Wang Feilian, restore order to the court, and release the imperial envoy to return to the capital to deliver his message.
Then, he sent men to contact Feng Qing and Xu Youliang, and led the troops from the four passes, choosing an auspicious day to swear an oath, and then marched with 400,000 troops straight to Baihu Pass.
Wang Bingzheng rebelled on one side, and Feng Qing rebelled on the other.
Feng Qing was originally the military governor of Wulong Pass, Heishui Pass, and Baishui Pass in the Northern Three Passes. He was the nephew of Feng Guozhong. When Feng Guozhong died, Feng Qing's family was also implicated and suffered.
Feng Guozhong and Feng Qing's father had always lived in the ancestral home left by their ancestors, so when they confiscated the property, they killed Feng Qing's parents as well, and then came to arrest Feng Qing.
Although Feng Qing was unaware of what was happening in the capital, he was also wary because of Xu Chengzhu's death. He made various excuses and refused to leave the Northern Three Passes. Just then, he saw Wang Bingzheng's proclamation. When Feng Qing learned the truth, he was also furious. He led 200,000 troops from the Northern Three Passes, swore an oath, and marched straight to Xuanwu Pass.
In this way, three military governors rebelled, leaving only the Eastern Military Governors remaining.
First, Wang Bingzheng led his troops to Baihu Pass, set up camp ten miles away from the pass, and then led his entire army to array themselves at the pass to challenge the enemy.
The garrison commander of Baihu Pass was General Cao Ping. Upon hearing that Wang Bingzheng had rebelled, he immediately dispatched a messenger to the capital to report the news while simultaneously training his troops, equipping them, and preparing for battle.
Hearing that Wang Bingzheng was challenging them outside the pass, he hurriedly climbed the city wall to look. He
saw a vast, dark mass of Wang Bingzheng's men outside the pass, their armor gleaming and perfectly disciplined. Wang Bingzheng himself sat atop a magnificent steed, exuding an imposing aura.
Behind him were dozens of generals, including five senior generals: Wang Bingzheng's eldest son Wang Ke, second son Wang Jun, eldest daughter Wang Yinping, second daughter Wang Xiaojiao, and the female general Han Sumei. All were in their teens or twenties, their armor gleaming and their menacing presence palpable.
Knowing Wang Bingzheng's prowess, Cao Ping dared not engage in battle and quickly ordered a truce to be raised, awaiting the imperial court's reinforcements.
Seeing no one willing to fight, Wang Bingzheng had no choice but to attack the city. However, Baihu Pass was strategically important, with high walls and strong fortifications. After more than ten days of siege, he could not capture the pass. The imperial court then dispatched General Wang Duo with an army of 200,000 to assist in the defense of Baihu Pass. Wang Bingzheng found it even more difficult to succeed and was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Suddenly, news arrived that a special envoy from Nanling had arrived, and Wang Bingzheng was overjoyed.
Will Wang Bingzheng be able to capture Baihu Pass? Let's find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Twenty-Three—Wang Yinping's First Victory, Duan Lingfeng's Voluntary Withdrawal

This chapter focuses on Wang Bingzheng's advance to Baihu Pass. Cao Ping, the garrison commander of Baihu Pass, refused to come out. Wang Bingzheng was frustrated by his prolonged siege when news arrived that Zhang Gui
, the special envoy from Nanling, had arrived. Knowing Zhang Gui's resourcefulness, Wang Bingzheng quickly ordered him to be invited in.
Zhang Gui entered the tent and first presented Xu Youliang's letter. The letter stated that Xu Youliang was willing to join forces with Wang Bingzheng to punish the tyrannical ruler and to go to the capital to oversee the country. He also showed Wang Bingzheng a proclamation written on Xu Youliang's behalf, which listed accusations that Duan Qizi had committed adultery with his stepmother, falsely accused Empress Xu and two imperial concubines, and sentenced people to death without trial or confession. Wang Bingzheng summoned a scribe and had these accusations added to his own proclamation before issuing it throughout the land. He then discussed the possibility of a joint military operation with Zhang Gui.
Zhang Gui said, "Now, the tyrannical emperor's sister, Duan Lingfeng, is guarding the three passes, trapping my lord in the Southern Ridge, preventing him from joining forces with General Wang. I have come here to ask for your help, General. Please send several capable generals and mobilize 100,000 elite troops to Dingnan Pass. Together with my lord, we can launch a pincer attack, break through Dingnan Pass, and then take over the three southern passes. We can then control the area from Baihu Pass to Zhuque Pass. With our combined forces, we can then join forces with Feng Qing to attack. At that time, the court will be stretched thin, and breaking through Baihu Pass will be a piece of cake, won't it?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Bingzheng realized that Zhang Gui had come to ask for help and began to hesitate.
Knowing Wang Bingzheng's narrow-mindedness and opportunism, Zhang Gui said, "Although Baihu Pass is a small place, its terrain is treacherous, and it will be difficult to take it quickly. Even if we do take it, we will suffer heavy losses. If my master makes a move at Zhuque Pass, Baihu Pass will definitely send troops to help, weakening our forces and making it easier to attack. Besides, the land within the Southern Three Passes is vast and many times more fertile than outside Baihu Pass. If we take the Southern Three Passes, my master is willing to give the general three hundred li of fertile land west of Pingling, with the land's produce enough to support a hundred thousand people."
Hearing this, Wang Bingzheng was delighted and asked, "Mr. Zhang, can you make this decision for your master Xu?"
"I am Master Xu's maternal uncle. If I cannot make this decision, what kind of strategist am I?"
"In that case, I will send my son Wang Ke and my daughter Yinping to take the Southern Pass."
“Alright, I will send my men back to report. The main road to Nanling is blocked by three passes. I came out of the mountains via a small path to the west. My men will have to return via this path, and it will take about seven or eight days to reach the military town of Nanling. The troops you sent will arrive at Dingnan Pass faster than them, so you can delay your departure by five days. I will accompany your army. Ten days later, we will use the sound of cannons as a signal to attack Dingnan Pass together.”
“Alright, it’s a deal.”
On the tenth day, Zhang Gui followed Wang Ke’s 100,000 troops and quietly set up camp in the mountains ten miles west of Dingnan Pass. Then, they heard a series of cannon shots from the south of the pass, accompanied by deafening shouts of battle. Knowing that Xu Youliang had made his move, they quickly mustered their troops, fired cannons, and marched out. When they reached the pass, it was as if heavenly troops had descended from the sky, startling the general Zhao Tong who was guarding the pass.
Dingnan Pass was located at a mountain pass. The east gate wall was very tall, while the west gate wall was relatively short. Moreover, grain, fodder, and military equipment were stored inside the pass. If a large army reached the west gate, it would cut off their retreat. How could Zhao Tong not be alarmed? He hurriedly mounted his horse, drew his sword, and rushed out of the pass to fight Wang Ke on horseback.
Upon seeing Wang Ke, a man of about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, clad in golden armor and riding a fine horse with a swift sword, looking quite imposing, the official hurriedly asked, "Please state your name, General." "
I am Wang Ke, the eldest son of Wang Bingzheng, the Grand Commandant of Daxiong Pass. I have come on my father's orders to seize Dingnan Pass. Are you Zhao Tong?"
"Indeed, it is I. Wang Ke, I have no past grievances with your father, nor any recent enmity. Why have you come to seize the pass?"
"Zhao Tong, have you seen the proclamation issued by my father? Duan Qi is a corrupt and tyrannical ruler. My father has already conspired with Master Xu of Nanling and General Feng of the Northern Three Passes to march on the capital to oversee the state. Knowing that you are guarding Dingnan Pass, I have come to request passage on behalf of Master Xu. If you are wise, you will relinquish Dingnan Pass and join forces with me to punish this tyrant. Otherwise, I fear blood will be spilled on the spot."
"Hmph, Wang Ke, don't talk big. I, Zhao Tong, am a newly appointed top-ranking military scholar. I have rendered meritorious service under the Imperial Sister. How could I be afraid of a mere child like you? Come at me and fight me!"
A peach-blossom horse galloped out from the formation, carrying a female general, around twenty years old, clad in silver armor and silver helmet, riding a dappled horse and wielding a silver spear. Her face was as beautiful as a peach blossom in spring. She rode up to Zhao Tong and said, "Zhao Tong, what makes you so capable that you dare challenge my elder brother? Watch me capture you."
Zhao Tong asked, "Who is this female general?"
"I am Wang Yinping, the eldest daughter of the Commander of the Great Xiong Commandery. I have come to meet you."
"What can a delicate woman like you do? You should know that swords and spears have no eyes. Even if you don't die, if your face is injured, you may never be able to get married. You'd better go home quickly." Zhao Tong was already over thirty years old. Fighting a young woman would be dishonorable, so he wanted to scare her away.
"Enough with the nonsense, let's settle this on the battlefield. Take this!" With that, she flicked her five-hooked, gleaming silver spear, aiming straight for Zhao Tong's throat.
Seeing the spear's deadly attack, Zhao Tong forgot all about the banter, quickly pulled his brown horse aside, raised his sword to parry the spear, and then slid his steel blade along the spear shaft to slash at her delicate hand. Wang Yinping, seeing this, quickly withdrew her hand, flicked the spear shaft upwards, and ducked to deflect the sword's attack. She then thrust her spear again, and the two began to fight beneath the pass.
Unable to last ten rounds, Wang Yinping, eager to display her skill, deliberately exposed an opening as soon as the two horses parted, revealing the back of her neck to Zhao Tong. Zhao Tong, overjoyed, swung his sword straight at her slender white neck. Just as the blade reached her neck, Wang Yinping suddenly ducked, her spear flashing like a snake striking Zhao Tong's ribs. Zhao Tong, eager for victory and unprepared, was struck through the chest by the spear. He cried out, dropping his sword, and was forcefully lifted into the air by Wang Yinping, flying three zhang (approximately 10 meters) before crashing to the ground, rolling twice before falling still.
The deputy general guarding the pass, seeing his commander dead, knew he was outmatched and spurred his horse north onto the main road. Seeing the situation was dire, the soldiers fled in disarray, and Wang Ke sent men to pursue and kill them.
Upon seeing this, the soldiers on the city walls lost all will to fight and surrendered, opening both the east and west gates simultaneously. Wang Ke entered the city through the west gate, while Xu Youliang led Feng Ling through the east gate, and Dingnan Pass was thus captured.
The two armies joined forces, and Feng Ling, seeing that Wang Yinping was also a female general and about her age, was overjoyed, chatting and laughing with her.
Zhang Gui came to see Xu Youliang and discussed military matters with Wang Ke and his sister at the general's mansion. Now that Dingnan Pass had fallen, Zhennan Pass and Pingnan Pass were no longer protected, making them easy to attack. Therefore, Wang Ke led his troops from inside the pass, while Xu Youliang attacked from outside, launching a pincer attack on Duan Lingfeng.
Wang Ke's troops easily captured Pingling Pass and headed straight for Zhennan Pass.
Halfway there, they encountered Xu Youliang's troops pursuing them northward. Upon inquiry, they learned that Duan Lingfeng, knowing Dingnan Pass had fallen and that defending Zhennan Pass was pointless, had already withdrawn his troops to Zhuque Pass.
Duan Lingfeng was indeed a formidable opponent. Xu Youliang knew that if he allowed her to fight a decisive battle at Zhennan Pass, even if he couldn't kill her, he could still defeat her 300,000 troops. Now that she had retreated to Zhuque Pass, it would be difficult to fight her again. So he urged his army to pursue her fiercely. Xu Youliang, having learned of this, also urged his army to
rush towards Zhuque Pass. The area from Zhennan Pass to Zhuque Pass was all flat ground, and Xu Youliang's cavalry pursued swiftly. In less than twenty li, they caught up with the government troops and launched a fierce attack. Knowing she was powerless to resist, Duan Lingfeng only led her generals and cavalry in retreat, leaving all 200,000-plus infantrymen to Xu Youliang.
By the time Wang Ke arrived, Xu Youliang had already accepted the surrender of nearly 200,000 government troops.
Wang Ke, seeing no gains, was unwilling to give up. He led his troops in pursuit for another thirty li, gathering some scattered soldiers and collecting some weapons before returning to his own camp.
Xu Youliang went to Wang Ke's tent to personally thank him for his help and handed over the map of the area west of Pingling Mountain that he had captured. Wang Ke was delighted and led his troops back to Dingnan Pass the next day, while riding off to report his victory to Wang Bingzheng.
Meanwhile, Xu Youliang captured Zhennan Pass, thus cutting off the rear of Pingnan Pass. Hu Ming, the garrison commander of Pingnan Pass, refused to surrender and committed suicide in the city. All his soldiers surrendered, and Xu Youliang thus gained control of Pingnan Pass. In this way, Xu Youliang gained a large area of fertile land within the pass, as well as 200,000 surrendered soldiers, instantly increasing his military strength to nearly 400,000. He also gained a base for supplying provisions, sweeping away the previous setbacks and boosting the morale of his entire army.
Xu Youliang rested his troops for half a month, training his soldiers and preparing provisions while sending someone to meet with Wang Bingzheng to discuss the next move.
Within days, Wang Bingzheng arrived at Dingnan Pass and met with Xu Youliang. They agreed to simultaneously attack Baihu Pass, Xihua Pass, Nanyang Pass, and Zhuque Pass ten days later, preventing the government troops from attending to all four.
Xihua Pass was south of Baihu Pass, at the western foot of Pingling Mountain; Nanyang Pass was west of Zhuque Pass, at the eastern foot of Pingling Mountain. These were auxiliary passes to the two main passes, relying primarily on their natural terrain rather than the high walls and thick walls of the main passes, thus requiring fewer troops.
Wang Bingzheng dispatched the Wang siblings, Wang Ke and Wang Youliang, stationed at Dingnan Pass, to attack Xihua Pass, while he personally led a large army to attack Baihu Pass. Xu Youliang sent Feng Yi to attack Nanyang Pass, while he himself led a large force to attack Zhuque Pass.
Xu Youliang, leading Feng Yi and twenty-four fierce generals from Nanling, along with an army of 200,000, arrived at Pingshan City. Pingshan City was a small city outside Zhuque Pass, garrisoned by 20,000 troops and commanded by General Cao Tong. It formed a strategic defensive position with Zhuque Pass.
Xu Youliang first sent an army to block Pingshan's retreat, then dispatched Feng Ling with 2,000 men to challenge the city.
As soon as Feng Ling arrived, Cao Tong charged out from within the city, leading his own 2,000 men in battle formation.
He then charged at Feng Ling, sword in hand. Cao Tong was a martial arts graduate, skilled in combat. While not quite on par with Duan Lingfeng, he was on par with the Cao Yunlong siblings, and a worthy opponent for Feng Ling. The two fought for over seventy rounds without a clear victor before both sides sounded the retreat and returned to their camps.
The next day, Feng Ling returned to challenge him. After about thirty rounds, Feng Ling fled, pursued relentlessly, their horses colliding. Just as Cao Tong was about to finish Feng Ling off with his sword, Feng Ling suddenly turned and fired a crossbow bolt. Cao Tong had long heard of the power of the crossbows from the Southern Ridge, so when he saw Feng Ling fleeing, he knew it wasn't a true defeat and became cautious. As soon as Feng Ling turned around, he sensed danger and quickly sheathed his sword to dodge. Feng Ling's arrow only struck the plume of his helmet.
Although Feng Ling missed, it startled Cao Tong, and he didn't strike with his sword. Feng Ling then turned his horse and fought again.
After more than ten rounds, Cao Tong was defeated. Feng Ling said, "You want to return the favor with an arrow? I'm not afraid of you!" and then pursued him.
The outcome of their battle remains to be seen; we'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Twenty-Four—Feng Ling Bravely Captures Pingshan City, Wang Ke Blocks Panshan Pass.

It is said that Feng Ling and Cao Tong clashed at the foot of Pingshan City. The battle continued into the second day. Feng Ling shot a crossbow bolt at Cao Tong, which Cao Tong dodged. Cao Tong feigned defeat, luring Feng Ling to pursue him. He then swung his sword at Feng Ling's waist, but Feng Ling was prepared and dodged to the side. The two resumed their battle.
The two fought until nightfall, then each withdrew their troops and returned to their camps.
On the third day, Duan Lingfeng dispatched vanguard Cao Yunlong and deputy general Feng Dekai with 50,000 troops to rescue Cao Tong. They encountered Xu Youliang's forces on the main road north of the city. Xu Youliang led twenty-four fierce generals to attack, surrounding Cao Yunlong and Feng Dekai with a flurry of blows. Cao Yunlong and Feng Dekai, both exceptionally brave, fought against overwhelming odds without fear.
Meanwhile, in Pingshan City, upon hearing news of reinforcements, morale soared. Cao Tong quickly mustered his troops and marched out of the pass to attack Xu Youliang from both sides. They met Feng Ling head-on, and the two clashed again without a word.
This time, they fought for over seventy rounds before Feng Ling feigned an opening, allowing Cao Tong's blade to strike. Seeing the blade at her head, she had no way to counter and finally swerved her horse to the side. The horse was a short-statured breed from the Nanling Mountains, known for its agility. Cao Tong, unaware of its sideways leap, was caught off guard. His blade missed its mark, and he saw Feng Ling's two blades pierce his heart and slit his neck. He couldn't dodge either strike, and with a soft "thud," his head was severed from his body.
Seeing no hope, the government troops scattered across the mountain, only to be slaughtered by Feng Ling and her men. They killed and forced surrender, annihilating Cao Tong's entire force. They then descended Pingshan and headed north to reinforce the battle.
Cao Yunlong, seeing Cao Tong's head hanging from Feng Ling's horse, knew Pingshan had fallen and had no choice but to retreat to Zhuque Pass. Xu Youliang pursued for a while but couldn't catch up, so he led his army to camp at the pass.
Duan Lingfeng, having no other option, could only defend the city, daring not to send troops out, while sending trusted confidants to Panlong Mountain outside the eastern pass to fetch her four junior sisters.
Xu Youliang led his troops in a relentless attack on Zhuque Pass day and night for half a month, but to no avail. Meanwhile , Fengyi captured Nanyang Pass.
Fengyi, leading 100,000 men and thirty cave chiefs, headed for Nanyang Pass. The pass was defended by the veteran general Guan Zheng. Seeing Fengyi coming to take the pass, he led 2,000 men out to meet him. After fighting Fengyi for over thirty rounds, Guan Zheng had his helmet chopped off by Fengyi's shovel and was so frightened that he retreated back into the pass and refused to come out again.
Fengyi ordered an attack on the city, but after several days of unsuccessful attempts, he grew increasingly impatient.
Just as they were about to attack the city, chaos erupted at the gate. The defending soldiers were falling from the city walls. Fengyi, puzzled, hurriedly sent men to attack. Before long, the soldiers from Nanling had climbed the city walls from the chaos. The gate was wide open, and two female generals were calling out, "Princess, hurry into the gate!"
Fengyi quickly led her troops into the gate and saw the two female generals. One rode a white horse and wielded a spear, while the other rode a yellow horse and wielded a broadsword. Both were about seventeen or eighteen years old and exceptionally beautiful. Fengyi asked, "What are the names of the two female generals, and why are you helping me?"
The one wielding the spear replied, "I am Zhao Fengzhu, daughter of Zhao Pizhi, the general of Pingnan Pass, and she is He Xiuying, daughter of He Yaowu, the general of Dingnan Pass. We are disciples of the same master, having learned our skills in the mountains since childhood. We knew nothing of the outside world. Some time ago, our master sent us down the mountain, saying that the second son of Lord Xu had raised an army to punish the wicked, and asked us to join his army. When we arrived at Nanyang Pass, we happened to see the princess attacking the city. We knew we had no merit, so we helped the princess break through Nanyang Pass as a way of paying our respects."
Fengyi was overjoyed upon hearing this and hurriedly said, "Breaking through Nanyang Pass will be the greatest achievement for you two. Please come with me to take the head of that old scoundrel Guan Zheng."
The three female generals charged towards the center of the street, just in time to meet the old general Guan Zheng, who had come upon hearing the news. Upon seeing the loss of the pass, the old general was ashamed to face the emperor and risked his life to come to Fengyi. Just as Fengyi was about to step forward, Zhao and He said, "Princess, let the credit go to us sisters." They charged forward together to meet Guan Zheng.
Fengyi watched from the side, seeing that the two women's martial arts were no less than her own, and that they were fellow disciples with perfect teamwork, she was pleased. After fighting for seven or eight rounds, the battle had already decided the victor. Zhao Fengzhu thrust her spear at Guan Zheng's throat, while He Xiuying's sword slashed at his waist. Guan Zheng couldn't defend himself both ways and was struck by both weapons simultaneously. He Xiuying cleaved him in two with her sword, and Zhao Fengzhu's spear pierced his neck, impaling his upper body on the spear, leaving only his lower half to be carried away by his warhorse.
The government troops, seeing this, dropped their weapons and knelt to surrender. Fengyi was able to leave Nanyang Pass. She sent someone on horseback to inform Xu Youliang, and dispatched Zhao and He as vanguards, heading north along the mountain road.
Xu Youliang was overjoyed to learn that Fengyi had captured Nanyang Pass. He left Fengling to guard the Pingshan Pass and headed towards Nanyang Pass himself.
Duan Lingfeng also received the news and was shocked. She hurriedly left Pang Qi to guard the pass and led Cao Yunlong to Nanyang Pass.
Nanyang Pass and Zhuque Pass were located side by side, and it took three days to reach them from outside the mountains. However, for Duan Lingfeng, traveling from inside the pass required a detour around the mountains, taking more than ten days. Therefore, Xu Youliang arrived at Nanyang Pass first and caught up with Fengyi. He sent Zhao and He, two women, to attack the flank of Xihua Pass while he personally led the main army northward.
Along the way, they gained five generals who joined their ranks: Cao Hua, Shi Wenlong, Hua Feng, and a pair of twin female generals, Hong Sanniang and Hong Siniang. All five were incredibly brave.
When their army reached Hulangyu, they encountered Cao Yunlong, the vanguard of the government army. Fengyi took the lead and fought Cao Yunlong for over fifty rounds. Cao Yunlong was no match for her and retreated into the valley. Fengyi pursued him, and countless wolf-tooth arrows shot out from the valley, forcing Fengyi back. Xu Youliang ordered them to set up camp in front of the valley and discuss further matters.
Having discussed Xu Youliang, let's turn to Wang Bingzheng. Fengyi captured Nanyang Pass, and Huang Yuhu, the garrison commander of Xihua Pass, realizing the situation was dire, abandoned the pass. Wang Ke captured Xihua Pass without losing a single soldier and advanced towards Baihu Pass. On the way, he encountered the two female generals, Zhao and He. Knowing that Xihua Pass had been captured and no further assistance was needed, they led their troops back the way they came to join Xu Youliang's forces.
Wang Ke and his sister Wang Yinping separated from Zhao and He and headed north first, then west, directly towards Baihu Pass. Along the way, they captured the generals Guan Yuan and Ding Qi. Just as they were about to emerge from the mountains, they were blocked at a treacherous mountain pass.
Panshan Pass was built on a mountain pass, with only one mountain road leading up to it, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. After withdrawing his troops from Xihua Pass, Huang Yuhu stayed here, defending the pass with Hu Bin, the garrison commander of Panshan.
Wang Ke sent men to challenge him to battle, but Huang Yuhu refused to fight and simply refused to come out. When he sent men to attack the pass, rocks tumbled down from above, killing and wounding countless soldiers, but they could not advance an inch. Wang Ke was helpless and spent
his days worrying about how to break through the pass. One day, as Wang Ke was deep in thought, a junior officer reported that a man and a woman would come to offer a strategy for breaking through the pass. Wang Ke quickly ordered them to be invited in.
Soon, two people entered. Wang Ke saw that the man was about twenty-one or twenty-two years old, and the woman was about eighteen or nineteen. They carried a strong bow on their backs and held two forks in their hands. They were both dressed as hunters; the man wore a bearskin coat, and the woman wore a leopard skin coat. Neither of them was very tall, but they had thick eyebrows, large eyes, prominent noses, and bright eyes, and were both shrewd and capable.
The two men approached the tent and bowed, saying, "Feng Zijun and Feng Meiyu greet the General."
Wang Ke quickly stood up and said, "Generals, please rise. Where do you two come from? What brilliant strategy do you have to break through this pass?"
Feng Zijun clasped his hands and said, "General, you may not know this, but my sister and I are hunters in these mountains. We hunt all day long, gathering mountain delicacies and medicinal herbs to exchange for some silver. Therefore, we know the terrain here very well. The mountain ahead is high and the road is treacherous. The pass is located halfway up the mountain. When someone attacks the pass, they don't need bows and arrows; they just roll large stones and logs down the slope, which is equivalent to a thousand soldiers. Even a celestial being couldn't get through."
"That's right," Wang Ke agreed, "I have been attacking for a long time, with countless soldiers killed and wounded, but I have no way to break through." "But I wonder what brilliant plan the two generals have?"
“Although this mountain pass is treacherous, the area inside is narrow and cannot accommodate many people. Usually, only about a hundred men are stationed there. Therefore, if we send two hundred brave warriors and one valiant general to sneak up to the pass and hold off the garrison for a while, preventing them from dropping rolling logs and stones, the main army can then swarm in and breach the pass.”
“However, there is only one road. How can we sneak into the pass?”
“That’s where my brother and I come in. Although there is only one main road through the mountain, there is a smaller path that can bypass the pass.”
“Oh? Could you two generals show me?”
Feng Zijun and his brother then led Wang Ke to a steep cliff on the side of the mountain and pointed out the path to him.
Wang Ke looked and saw that it wasn't a path at all, but rather a crack in the cliff face, hundreds of feet high, barely wide enough for half a person to pass through. He shook his head and said, "We can't go, we can't go. On a path like this, one misstep and it's all over. How
can we possibly walk through?" "General, don't worry," said Wang Ke. "What's difficult for those who can't is easy for those who can. My brother and I have lived in the mountains for a long time and have mastered rock climbing skills. We've climbed mountains far more dangerous than this, and we can even climb city walls with our bare hands. Once we get up the mountain and lower the ropes, the rest of us can climb up using the ropes. There's a small pine forest at the top that can hide seven or eight hundred people. We don't need many people now. Just two or three hundred people, plus one or two brave generals, are enough to break through Panshan Pass."
Wang Ke was overjoyed and said, "I didn't know you two had such abilities. If we break through this pass, you two generals will have performed a great service, and I will definitely recommend you to my father."
"My brother and I should repay your kindness," said Wang Ke. "There's no time to lose. Please give the order, General."
"Very well, generals, please come with me back to camp to prepare for the next battle. You two can eat your fill before climbing the mountain to claim your merits."
With the plan settled, the three returned to the main camp. Wang Ke immediately prepared his troops, sending Guan Yuan and Ding Qi with three hundred elite soldiers to accompany the Feng siblings on a surprise attack up the mountain. He himself would lead Wang Yinping and the main force to wait at the main road crossing below the pass. At midnight, using firelight as a signal, they would launch a simultaneous attack.
Meanwhile, the Feng siblings received their orders and led the elite soldiers to the foot of the steep cliff, where Wang Ke and Wang Yinping watched from below. The two men quickly tidied themselves up, each carrying a coil of thin rope about the thickness of a little finger, and a small coil of thicker rope, and began to climb. Their movements were nimble, like monkeys, and in no time they reached a platform over thirty zhang high. They lowered the ropes, and the soldiers quickly tied the thick and thin ropes together. Feng Zijun effortlessly pulled the thick rope up and tied it to a protruding rock, then retrieved the thin rope and continued climbing. Guan Yuan and Ding Qi, seeing this, quickly climbed up the ropes themselves and pulled up several coils of thicker rope.
The Feng siblings had already climbed seventy or eighty zhang, but there was no further path. The crevice widened as they ascended; the lower section had a gripping point on the left side, but there, the crevice became three or four zhang wide, and the left side turned into smooth stone, offering no foothold. Reaching the right side was impossible.
Wang Ke, watching from below, inwardly lamented the loss. He then saw Feng Zijun leap upwards, grabbing a small pine tree, and then hanging upside down to catch Feng Meiyu. Feng Meiyu stood on Feng Zijun's shoulder, rising up along the cliff face. Wang Ke assumed they were going to reach a rock higher up, a rock more than a meter above him, clearly out of reach. Just as Wang Ke was wondering how they would get up, the two swayed and crashed down together.
What became of them? We'll find out in the next chapter.

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