Chapter 5: Turmoil in the Prince’s Mansion

Xiao Zhan shifted the muzzle of his AK-47 away from Zheng Chun and toward the shivering Imperial Guards in the hall.

"What did you just say, Eunuch Zheng? 'We'?"

He paced forward a few steps, the dark muzzle dancing before the faces of the guards, who nearly collapsed in terror.

"Do you really think you have the right to call yourself 'we' here in the Prince of Yan’s estate?"

His voice was not loud, yet it silenced the entire hall, leaving only the sound of ragged, heavy breathing. The barrel of the AK-47 dipped slightly, pointing at Zheng Chun’s trembling, pathetic legs.

"Don't you love having people knead your shoulders and massage your legs? Don't you love throwing your weight around?" Xiao Zhan advanced step by step, his words striking Zheng Chun’s heart like shards of ice. "Are the people of my Prince of Yan’s estate the kind of trash you can lay a hand on?"

Zheng Chun was shaking uncontrollably, and a foul, pungent odor began to spread from his trousers, causing everyone nearby to recoil in disgust.

"Xiao Zhan! You dare! I am... I am the Imperial Envoy! If you kill me, His Majesty will not let you off! Everyone in the Prince of Yan’s estate will be buried with me!"

"Buried with you?" Xiao Zhan let out a cold scoff. "Do you think we’d live if we spared you? Do you think I’m blind to what was written in that imperial decree? My father was loyal and devoted, only to be accused of 'fearing punishment and taking his own life'! Ever since that decree arrived, the Prince of Yan’s estate has had no way out!"

He turned abruptly to face his own retainers and guards who stood clutching their weapons.

"Everyone! You all heard how this old dog just humiliated our estate! You all saw how he treated the Princess! He even wanted to turn the women of our household into his playthings!"

"The Prince’s body is not yet cold, and this eunuch dares to be so rampant! If we continue to swallow our pride, how could we face the Prince’s spirit in heaven?"

"Didn't he just try to touch the Princess and Lady Qiushuang?!" A man in the crowd roared, the veins on his neck bulging.

"Beat this dog of a eunuch to death!"

"Avenge the Prince!"

"Kill him!"

The suppressed rage exploded in an instant. The young maids, who had been insulted by Zheng Chun’s earlier words, stood with pale faces and clenched fists.

"Xiao Zhan, you are inciting them..." Zheng Chun watched as the red-eyed guards closed in step by step. He stammered, retreating frantically.

Xiao Zhan stepped aside to clear the path, his voice cold as stone. "The people of the Prince of Yan’s estate will not take the bird-brained insults of such filthy scum! He deserves to die!"

"Aaaah—!" Zheng Chun let out a scream that sounded less than human.

The bearded old guard was the first to rush forward, kicking Zheng Chun to the ground before bringing the heavy back of his blade down upon him.

"You dog of a eunuch! How dare you bully the Prince of Yan’s estate!"

"Beat him to death!"

"Let him learn the might of our estate!"

A tide of men instantly engulfed Zheng Chun. Fists, boots, scabbards, and clubs rained down like a storm. Zheng Chun’s screams and pleas for mercy quickly faded into incoherent whimpers, until finally, there was no movement at all.

Blood splattered everywhere. Xiao Yunshang turned her head, unable to bear the sight, but Xiao Zhan gently took her arm.

"Sister, don't look away. See clearly. This is our choice. From this day forward, there is no turning back for the Prince of Yan’s estate." Xiao Zhan’s voice was soft, yet every word struck home.

Qiushuang and the other maids were trembling violently, but as they looked at the heap of flesh on the floor, their earlier humiliation and terror began to dissipate, replaced by a profound sense of uncertainty about what was to come.

Moments later, the crowd dispersed, leaving only a mangled, unrecognizable mess on the floor. A thick scent of blood permeated the hall. Everyone stood in silence, gasping for air, looking back and forth between the remains and Xiao Zhan.

The Imperial Envoy was gone.

It felt as though the sky was truly about to collapse.

Xiao Zhan turned his gaze toward the cowering, trembling Imperial Guards. He walked over to a guard whose armor was still relatively intact, clearly a minor leader. The man immediately began kowtowing, his head hitting the floor with a rhythmic thud.

"Spare me, Heir! Spare me! My name is Wang Yichuan. I was only following orders; I had no choice!"

Xiao Zhan tapped the man’s forehead with the barrel of his AK-47.

"Wang Yichuan, is it? Do you want to live?"

"Yes! Yes! I dream of living!" Wang Yichuan nodded like a chick pecking at grain.

"Good." Xiao Zhan’s tone remained unreadable. "Tell me, how many Imperial Guards are outside the estate? Who is the leader? What kind of weapons do they have?"

Wang Yichuan dared not withhold a single detail, spilling everything he knew in a desperate scramble.

"Reporting to the Heir, outside... outside there are about five hundred brothers, led by Battalion Commander Liu Gang. Commander Liu... he is guarding the main gate. They... they didn't bring any cannons or heavy crossbows, just swords and spears."

"Five hundred men? Liu Gang?" Xiao Zhan repeated, drumming his fingers against the rifle. He remembered this Liu Gang; the man was notorious for his greed and lechery.

"Heir, I’ve told you everything! Please, have mercy and spare my life!" Wang Yichuan begged, his voice choked with tears.

Xiao Zhan ignored him and ordered his retainers, "Tie him and those few guards who aren't dead yet securely, and throw them into the woodshed."

"Yes, Heir!" The retainers stepped forward, quickly binding Wang Yichuan and the others like粽子 before dragging them away.

Only the people of the Prince of Yan’s estate remained in the hall. Xiao Zhan walked over to Xiao Yunshang. Her face was pale and her eyes were still red, but the utter helplessness she had shown earlier had diminished.

"Sister, now that we’ve killed the Imperial Envoy, we can’t keep this hidden. News will spread soon," Xiao Zhan whispered. "Those five hundred guards outside are the first hurdle."

"Brother, what do you intend to do?" Xiao Yunshang’s voice was raspy.

"We cannot meet them head-on," Xiao Zhan shook his head. "We lack the numbers and the proper equipment. But it’s not impossible."

He leaned in closer.

"Sister, in a moment, go out and tell them... tell them we have accepted our fate. Tell them we are willing to hand over all the gold and treasures of the estate, if only the Imperial Court will grant us a path to survive and open the gates to surrender."

"Surrender?" Xiao Yunshang was stunned, then immediately grasped his intent. "You want to lure them in?"

Xiao Zhan nodded, a cold, sharp curve appearing on his lips.

"I know what kind of man Liu Gang is. Once he hears there is treasure to be had, he will surely let his guard down. As long as they dare to enter, this Prince of Yan’s estate will be their graveyard!"

Xiao Yunshang looked at her brother; the ruthlessness and calculation in his demeanor made him seem like a stranger, yet it brought her a sense of peace.

She nodded.

"Alright, I will listen to you. But... brother, you must be careful."

"Don't worry, sister," Xiao Zhan said, patting her hand gently. "I won't let our estate end like this."

Outside the high walls of the Prince of Yan’s estate, the crowd of onlookers grew larger, pointing at the vermilion gates and gossiping wildly.

"Alas, the Prince of Yan was a hero his whole life. Who would have thought..."

"Indeed. I heard the palace sent an envoy to confiscate his property. The estate is likely finished."

"The Prince served in the northern frontier for so many years; if he had no merits, he at least had his hardships. The Emperor’s handling of this, tsk tsk..."

"Keep your voice down! Do you want to lose your head?"

Battalion Commander Liu Gang sat atop his horse, listening to the murmurs of the crowd and snorting in disdain.

It was good that the Prince of Yan’s estate was falling! He had long heard that the estate was filled with mountains of gold and silver, and countless beauties—especially the Princess, Xiao Yunshang, who was said to be exquisite.

"Hmph, once we raid the place, won't all those delicate beauties fall into my lap?" Liu Gang stroked his stubble, blissfully imagining how much profit he could skim and how he might get his hands on the Princess.

Just as he was lost in his fantasy—

*Creak—*

The vermilion gates of the Prince of Yan’s estate, usually kept tightly shut, slowly opened a crack.