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Wedding Mutiny (2)
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Lu Zi Xiang’s expression didn’t change, indifferently saying, “Crown prince has thought too much, no need to waste your energy to incite discord between heir and I. I, Lu Zi Xiang, never doubt the people I use.”
Hearing this, Lu Zhao Ye was very shocked.
It was ‘no need to waste your energy to incite discord between heir and I’ and not ‘no need to waste your energy to incite discord between Zhennan Wang and I’. Could it be that this Lu Qi Yang……
……he wasn’t a wastrel with no abilities?!
Once this thought appeared in his mind, Lu Zhao Ye was greatly shocked, just feeling complete astonishment inside. When raising his head again, he saw that Zhennan Wang heir above the gate tower with his bow already drawn towards him from afar. Even if the distance was far, the creaking sound of the bowstring being fully drawn was still able to reach the ears, as if a tense heartstring.
“Protect his Highness the Crown Prince!”
“Protect the crown prince!”
Lu Zhao Ye composed himself, lifting his head, directly looking at the tower, and thinking to himself, ‘Such a far distance, even if Lu Qi Yang has supernatural strength, he still wouldn’t be able to hit him.
Thus, he angrily shouted: “Attack!”
In the next moment, the light calvary behind him burst into a loud riot, the iron hooves trampling through the Vermillion Bird street, the cold glint of the armor seemingly about to cut through the night and moonlight. The shouts and cries suddenly reverberated through the nine layers of heaven.
Even in such clamor, Lu Qi Yang who was atop the gate tower still calmly had the bowstring drawn to the fullest, the bowstring in his hand like outlining the full moon. The city wall was brightly lit, the night wind roaring, raising his raven long hair.
With a light sound, the arrow in his hand penetrated into the night like a flash of lightning.
When Lu Zhao Ye lifted his head, he just saw a sharp point coming straight at him. In the next moment, two attendants threw themselves forward, helping him block this arrow. The one that got shot could only utter ‘crown prince’ before falling onto the ground, drowning under the boundless horse hooves.
Without waiting for Lu Zhao Ye to come to his senses, the second and third arrow quickly followed in succession, every arrow all accurately aimed at his vitals!
The final arrow finally had no one to block it, piercing into Lu Zhao Ye’s right shoulder with great momentum.
Feeling the pain in his shoulder, Lu Zhao Ye’s body suddenly leaned down. He clenched his teeth as he poured with cold sweat, enduring the pain and saying, “This is nothing! We must break into the palace. If unable to let……..if unable to force imperial father to reduce Lu Zi Xiang into a commoner…..all our efforts will be wasted.”
He absolutely can’t collapse here.
The soldiers behind him were all wholeheartedly devoted. Hearing these words, their morale was boosted, the rallying cries endless as they charged into the palace, interlocking in battle with the palace guards. The palace city with golden eaves and vermillion walls, originally celebrating with song and dance, in this moment, was just left with clashing weapons and blood splattering onto the long stairways.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Lu Zi Xiang had ten thousand soldiers, while Lu Zhao Ye had thirty thousand. However, no one knew how many soldiers Zhennan Wang had in the capital.
Lu Zhao Ye hastily bandaged his wound, then met the enemy head-on the whole way, passing through Guangshu Gate, Tingqu Gate, and Yewei Gate[1]. For the sake of celebrating the crown prince’s wedding, the entire palace city was brightly lit and decorated, entire halls filled with bright red. But, before these bright red lanterns could be extinguished, they just got splattered with warm blood. The white jade long stairs carved with flowing clouds and flying dragons[2] also got dyed by the thick blood, like dripping with countless streaks of vermillion tears of wax.
Unknown as to when, the soldiers behind Lu Zhao Ye decreased more and more, and what replaced them was another army squad charging forward.
Lu Zhao Ye didn’t need to turn back to know that it was the soldiers of Zhennan Wang Manor surging forward, like sea tides swallowing the coast, having his subordinates all devoured. Although completely clear inside, Lu Zhao Ye was unwilling to turn back, just stubbornly charging forward.
The entire imperial court all knew that Zhennan Wang disdained getting involved in the fight for the throne, not giving any good looks towards the crown prince and second prince. The heir, Lu Qi Yang, was not versed in military tactics, just an idle wastrel. Even if having him forced into the military camp, in less than half a day, he can still escape and go play around.
Why would Zhennan Wang Manor assist Lu Zi Xiang?
Could it be that it was all an act that has been put on for several years, and everyone in the capital all got kept in the dark?
The battle cries shook the heaven, but Lu Zhao Ye clearly sensed defeat. The soldiers of Zhennan Wang Manor perhaps weren’t just five thousand, eight thousand. Perhaps there was twenty thousand, thirty thousand…..or even having the several hundred thousand stationed elsewhere all brought into the capital.
A sense of defeat surged up Lu Zhao Ye’s heart.
A few soldiers came over bathed in blood, heavily panting and saying to Lu Zhao Ye, “Your Highness, the situation has changed, it’s better to retreat out of the capital first.”
Lu Zhao Ye tightened the reins, his bloodstained face as cold as ice, saying: “This prince is the legitimate heir apparent of Great Chu, and not some rebellious traitor, so why must one retreat out of the capital?”
“But, your Highness………” The soldier covered his would, saying with difficulty, “Withdrawing at this time, the soldiers can still have a chance to survive. If we nicely recuperate, we can still rise again in the future. But, if we have the troops all buried here, afraid there won’t be a future.”
When Lu Zhao Ye heard, his face turned even colder.
He listened to the battle cries by his ear. After a moment of silence, he suddenly flew into a rage, saying, “This prince is the crown prince! The soldiers and generals dying for this prince that is only natural! Even if you all break your legs, using your hands to crawl, all need to crawl before his Majesty, letting his Majesty pass the throne to this prince!”
When the soldiers heard, they were a bit disappointed, but the crown prince before them already had messy hair and a mad look, no longer their normally calm and composed master. No one dared to say more at this time.
The crown prince’s soldiers were already dwindling, collapsing under the horses’ hooves and in pools of blood.
Finally, Lu Zhao Ye got driven back between Tianqu Gate and Yewei Gate. Once the four vermillion doors closed shut, Lu Zhao Ye and the remainder of his troops were trapped in the square courtyard. Upon the gate towers on all four sides, countless rows of archers suddenly lined up.
Lu Zhao Ye steered his horse in all directions, seeing in the night, the horizontal signboard above Tianqu Gate seemingly dyed with a blood-like bright red.
Onward, the horse galloped.
The heavenly son rode his horse here, leading several armies through the palace gate, thus named ‘Tianqu[3]‘.
Lu Zhao Ye pulled the reins, looking around at the archers tightly lined up in the surrounding, having a look of defeat. The remaining soldiers and generals behind him held the reins in hand, heavily panting.
At this time, he finally sensed that he was a bit tired.
Yewei Gate slightly opened, and a figure rode out from it on horseback.
If it were someone else, they would’ve rushed to avoid, but he completely ignored the soldiers by Lu Zhao Ye’s side, calmly riding his horse before them. The flame of the torch dimly illuminated his young and handsome face.
“Zhennan Wang heir……” Lu Zhao Ye held the wound from the arrow on his shoulder, coldly sneering, “You came under Lu Zi Xiang’s orders?”
Lu Qi Yang remained silent and didn’t answer, his expression cold and stern, as if blending into the night. There was a clanging sound. It was him drawing the sword at his waist. With a flick of his wrist, the sliver glint of the sharp blade blinded the eyes of people in the surrounding.
“Heir, you’re truly patient, acting a play for over ten years.” Lu Zhao Ye rode on horseback, his face still cold and indifferent, “For you to have such capabilities, even if you’d helped Lu Zi Xiang, he still won’t view you as a trusted confidant. Today, you kill this prince; tomorrow, imperial father will start suspecting you, letting you and your royal father end up like this prince.”
Lu Qi Yang turned the blade, coldly saying, “The matters afterwards, needless for the crown prince to worry over. Qi Yang naturally will handle it.”
After saying this, he raised his blade.
“Please wait!” Lu Zi Xiang’s voice came from the gate tower, saying in a resounding voice, “The crown prince is ultimately my elder brother. I’m unable to bear killing him here, asking Zhennan Wang heir to please spare him under your blade. How about having the crown prince given to imperial father to handle?”
When Lu Qi Yang heard, he slowly had the blade returned to its scabbard, saying, “Your Highness can make the decision on your own.”
Yewei Gate reopened, the fire blazing. The capital city tonight will be sleepless.
• • •
Inside the bridal chamber, Shen Tong Ying has already sat upon the bridal bed for a long time.
Lu Zhao Ye still hasn’t entered the bridal chamber. She already had her bright red cuffs tugged into a lump of wrinkles. In the end, she couldn’t endure anymore, pulling off the red wedding veil and having the objects on the wedding table all swept onto the ground.
It was a loud commotion. Those dates and dried fruits, the wine cups and gold cups, all rolled all over the ground, the entire floor in a mess. When the servant girls saw, they rushed forward to pick up, while saying, “Your Highness, quell your anger! His Highness perhaps just got held up by someone, still drinking wine in front!”
“Got held up? Drinking wine?” Shen Tong Ying’s body swayed, the golden tassels hanging from the wedding crown randomly swung, “He clearly doesn’t care about me, this crown princess. After marrying, he won’t come touch me.”
After saying this, she laughed and stood before the bronze mirror with a cold look, caressing the scar on her cheek, saying: “Forget it……not touching me it is then. As long as I can be the crown princess, I don’t care about anything else.”
When the servant girls heard, they all didn’t dare to speak.
Ever since Shen Tong Ying ruined her appearance, her temper just became sinister and gloomy. No one dared to poke her sore spot.
Precisely at this time, a eunuch hastily ran in from outside, his head filled with sweat, shouting: “It’s terrible! Your Highness, there’s bade news!”
“What happened?” Shen Tong Ying coldly said, “As long as it’s not the crown prince dropping dead, then no need to come tell me.”
“Your Highness!” The servant girls gasped at her bold words, “Be careful with your words! Your Highness!”
“The crown prince……the crown prince……” The bottom of the eunuch’s eyes overflowed with tears, sobbingly saying, “The crown prince originally wanted to revolt tonight, but who knew that he would get shot down by the Zhennan Wang heir’s three arrows in front of Guangshu Gate! At present, the crown prince has already gotten detained in the palace, afraid…….there will be more bad news than good news…..”
Upon hearing this, Shen Tong Ying turn pale from shock.
She grabbed that enunch’s shoulder, violently shaking as her eyes glared wide open, angrily saying, “What did you say? You mean, I may no longer be the crown princess, no longer the empress?! Well?!
“Your Highness, it’s still unknown whether the crown prince is dead or alive right now!” The eunuch tearfully said, “Moreover, Sir Shen is also in trouble. His Majesty had sent soldiers, and a moment ago, already had the sirs all arrested, waiting to be taken into prison!”
When Shen Tong Ying heard, she fell into a momentary daze, asking: “Which Shen?”
“It’s those few from your family………” The eunuch said, “Sir Shen Ting Kang and Sir Shen Xin Shu……”
“Then what about my uncle?!” Shen Tong Ying asked.
“This, t-this servant doesn’t know…….” The eunuch got frightened by her malevolent expression, stuttering with his words, “This servant is also unclear about the exact situation outside, just heard that his Highness the Second Prince blocked the soldiers going to raid the An Duke Manor…..oh wait no, they’re not the An Duke Manor anymore……”
Shen Tong Ying suddenly lost all her strength, collapsing onto the ground.
When she fell, her hand knocked over the wedding candle placed nearby. The candle fell onto the ground, igniting the bright red bed curtains, abruptly turning into a sea of flames. Very soon, the red of the flames blended together with the red of the bridal chamber.
[1] The names of the gates are fictional, but I added a layout of the forbidden palace in Beijing to show how there’s multiple gates leading into the palace.
[2] Using the stairs inside the forbidden palace again as an example.
[3] 天驱 – This is just a combination of two words Tian(天) meaning sky/heaven representing the emperor, and Qu(驱) meaning to drive or urge the horse forward. The name itself is just short for ‘the emperor rode his horse here’ gate.
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