The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 514 The Clouds Gradually Gather
Under the night sky of the Lantern Festival, Yangzhou, a thousand miles away from Bianjing, was also dotted with sparks. Fireworks bloomed sparsely along the Huai River, but they were far less magnificent and spectacular than those in Bianjing.

Although Yangzhou lifted its curfew today, the Lantern Festival here inevitably seemed cramped and quiet compared to the all-night celebrations in Bianjing.

In the eastern part of the city, next to the canal wharf, lies a storage area. It is past midnight, and the hustle and bustle of Yangzhou has long since subsided. This area is far removed from the hustle and bustle, with only one or two warehouses still dimly lit.

In one of the back warehouses, where sacks were piled up, a heavy wooden plank on the floor had been moved, revealing stone steps leading down. The dim glow of an oil lamp spilled from below, illuminating several silent faces.

Li Xingyun stood in the center of the basement, still wearing the robes he wore during the daytime banquet for court officials, but with an inconspicuous dark cloak over them.

Zhang Zifan stood beside him, his face somewhat pale in the dim light, his brows slightly furrowed.

The two, Li Sixiao, the Fierce Star, and Sima Hui, the Mysterious Star, stood by the entrance, one with his hand on his sword, and the other sitting at the table, working out a game of chess.

Footsteps came from outside the passage, steady and frequent, yet not chaotic, approaching from afar.

The entrance door slid open silently, and a slender figure stepped in first—it was Shi Yao. Today, she was dressed only in a dark, fitted outfit, which made her face appear even whiter. She gave a slight bow and stepped aside.

Immediately afterwards, a steady stream of people entered.

They were dressed in various styles: some wore the uniforms of low-ranking Wu soldiers, such as captains and battalion commanders; others wore the black robes of Yangzhou government officials or clerks; still others dressed as dockworkers or merchants.

These people came from all walks of life and were of varying ages. Many of them had ordinary appearances, the kind that would be easily lost in a crowd. But each of them had a calm gaze and walked with a steady, light step.

They filed in silently and automatically lined up in order, filling the rather large secret room to the brim, yet without any crowding or noise.

All eyes immediately focused on Li Xingyun.

Shi Yao stepped forward: "Your Majesty, everyone has arrived. The Jiangnan Road Bad People, since the Grand Marshal laid out the plan thirty years ago, have a total of 371 officers at various levels. Those who were able to reach Yangzhou tonight are all here. The rest are scattered in the armies and key offices in Chu, Yue, and Min. The highest-ranking officer is the Deputy General of Zhenwu and the Military Advisor to the Governor. The Grand Marshal's thirty years of painstaking efforts are all entrusted to Your Majesty."

Li Xingyun felt his throat go dry, and Zhang Zifan next to him also looked a little stunned.

Both of them knew that Yuan Tiangang's forces were unfathomable and his plans were far-reaching, but when this hidden power was so concretely displayed before their eyes, the sense of oppression still exceeded their expectations.

This is not an army of thousands, yet it is more deeply rooted in the soil and waters of Jiangnan. Though invisible most of the time, once unleashed, it can shake the earth and mountains.

The man at the head, dressed as a battalion commander with an old scar on his cheek, knelt down on one knee and clasped his hands in salute: "Wang Geng, the commander of the first battalion of the left wing of the Black Cloud Longsword Capital under the command of Tian Yongxing, leads the unruly people from the vicinity of Yangzhou to pay respects to Your Majesty."

"See Your Majesty..."

Behind them, everyone knelt down on one knee in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, their deep voices converging into a single sound that echoed in the secret room.

Li Xingyun suppressed the surging emotions in his chest, stepped forward, and gently helped Wang Geng to his feet: "Please rise, everyone."

Everyone stood up and waited for instructions.

Li Xingyun's gaze swept across their faces one by one, seeing faces etched with the marks of time and hidden secrets.

What do they seek, lurking in the mud?
Li Xingyun spoke, his voice initially slightly hoarse, but quickly regained its composure: "General Yuan... entrusted you all to my care. I have summoned you all today to discuss what I intend to do, and I believe you are already aware of it."

No one answered; silence was an acceptance.

"Xu Wen and Zhang Hao, their ilk, control the court, usurp the emperor's power, treat Jiangnan as their private property, and use the people's will to bolster their own position. With the Northern army imminent, instead of uniting to defend against the invasion and ensuring the people's livelihood, they seek to increase taxes, recruit soldiers, and exploit the people to prolong their own existence. They even go so far as to drag me and the Empress into this futile attempt to stop a chariot. Such actions are not for the country, but for the country's destruction! Not for the people's benefit, but for the people's cruelty!"

Inside the basement, only Li Xingyun's voice echoed softly in the limited space.

"I do not wish to see the people of Jiangnan plunged back into the flames of war and become displaced because of the selfish desires of the powerful. Therefore, I wish to restore order, reorganize the court, eliminate the corrupt officials, and return power to the court, thus finding a way out for Jiangnan." Li Xingyun paused, glancing at the crowd before him, "This matter requires the help of all of you."

Wang Geng then spoke again in a deep voice, breaking the silence: "We are members of the Bad People, and we obey orders with utmost care. We will do anything Your Majesty asks, even at the cost of our lives."

"We would die for you!" The crowd behind him responded in unison.

Li Xingyun looked at them and slowly nodded: "Very well, I require you all to return to your posts and closely monitor all the movements of Xu, Zhang, and their cronies Yan Keqiu, Zhong Taizhang, and others, including troop deployment, personnel movement, and the strength and weakness of their residences, leaving no detail overlooked; contact and persuade those former military officers and officials in the court who still support the Prince of Wu or are dissatisfied with Xu and Zhang to defect; prepare your troops and await my orders. When the time is right, I will eliminate all the rebels in Yangzhou and restore power to my hands!"

"Yes, sir!" the crowd replied in unison, without the slightest hesitation.

"Go ahead," Li Xingyun waved his hand.

Without a word, everyone bowed again as they had arrived, then turned and disappeared into the darkness of the passageway, their footsteps fading into the distance. The room returned to its empty state, leaving only Li Xingyun, Zhang Zifan, and the flickering oil lamp.

After a long while, Li Xingyun let out a long sigh, rubbed his temples, and showed a trace of fatigue on his face. He turned to Zhang Zifan and saw that his friend's brows were furrowed, his face looked somewhat pale under the light, and his eyes were unfocused, as if he had something on his mind.

"Zifan?" Li Xingyun called out, "There's no one else here. I noticed you looked off when I saw you earlier. Do you think what I did was too risky?"

Zhang Zifan suddenly came to his senses and shook his head: "No. Xu Wen and Zhang Hao have already harbored treacherous intentions. If we don't take action, we will all be fish on the chopping block. We must make a decisive move. Brother Li, you did the right thing."

He paused, as if struggling to find the right words, "But... I have something else on my mind, and I'm in a state of turmoil, not knowing what to do."

"What is there that cannot be said between us?" Li Xingyun walked to his side.

Zhang Zifan looked up at him, his eyes filled with complex emotions. After struggling for a moment, he whispered, "Miss Lu... vaguely mentioned to me that the two experts from the Celestial Master's Mansion who escorted her south seemed to... have some connection with me. Moreover, the names and identities they used at the time were all disguises. In reality, they were the Celestial Master Zhang Xuanling, who had disappeared from Xuanwu Mountain for many years, and the High Priest Xu Huan..."

Li Xingyun was taken aback and nodded, saying, "Yes, my junior sister also mentioned it to me, saying that there might be some connection between that Master Zhang and you, but she didn't go into details. At the time, I just assumed it was because you both have the surname Zhang, and I didn't ask any further questions..."

“No need to ask anymore.” Zhang Zifan interrupted him, his smile bitter. “I already know. They… not only came to see me again, but I also saw… Li Siyuan.”

“Li Siyuan? Your godfather?” Li Xingyun was truly taken aback. “Wasn’t he already…”

"Everyone thought he was dead, that he died in the chaos of the fall of Taiyuan, and I thought so too at first..."

Zhang Zifan's voice was dry. "But he didn't die. Zhang Tianshi and the others told me that he faked his death. The Li Cunren who went beyond the Great Wall with Prince Jin, Li Cunxu, was actually him... Later, Yunzhou fell, and he ended up in your ninth brother's hands. But Xiao Yan didn't kill him; instead, he crippled all his martial arts and handed him over to Zhang Tianshi." As he spoke, Zhang Zifan seemed to see Li Siyuan's face again. That once dignified and awe-inspiring face of his adoptive father, now withered like rotten wood, his eyes cloudy and unfocused, huddled in the corner, the pleading and fear on his face when he saw him made his stomach churn.

Li Xingyun was still in shock and was about to say something when Zhang Zifan spoke again:
"Furthermore, Zhang Tianshi and the others said that I was originally their son. Back then, Li Siyuan, in order to seize the Celestial Master's Mansion's supreme martial art, the 'Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Technique,' took advantage of the Xuanming Sect's siege of the Celestial Master's Mansion to launch a sneak attack and forcibly took me away when I was still an infant. Zhang Tianshi was also severely injured when he was thrown off a cliff by him, and his mind and spirit were damaged, causing him to wander insanely for more than ten years. It is a lie that Li Siyuan raised me to adulthood and treated me as his own son; he actually used me as a pawn, a tool to control the Celestial Master's Mansion in the future, and even to satisfy his greater ambitions..."

Zhang Zifan even chuckled softly, but the laughter was more unpleasant than crying; he kept his eyes closed.
"Now, my good godfather's martial arts skills are completely gone. Faced with the irrefutable evidence presented by Zhang Tianshi, and in front of me, he confessed in order to save his life. He even confessed to more despicable acts, such as murdering my fourth uncle, Li Cunren, and impersonating him to escape..."

Li Xingyun was completely stunned, speechless with shock. He never imagined that Zhang Zifan's background concealed such a bloody and cruel truth. And the Holy Master of Tongwen Hall, the adopted son of the Prince of Jin, was actually such a person...

To recognize a thief as one's father—what pain in this world could be greater than this?

Looking at his friend's pained expression, he was momentarily at a loss for words to comfort him.

Zhang Zifan opened his eyes, but simply slumped back down, his gaze filled with confusion and pain.

“Brother Li, although I felt from childhood that he treated me more harshly than lovingly, and more controlling than caring, I was not without my doubts. But after more than ten years of being raised by him, spending every day together… I never imagined that the truth would be so unbearable. This father-son relationship, from beginning to end, was a complete deception. The kindness of raising me was fake; the hatred of taking away my family was real… I…”

He raised his hand to his forehead, his fingers trembling slightly.

Li Xingyun listened in silence, sensing the turbulent chaos and pain in Zhang Zifan's heart. After all, such an impact would be tantamount to the collapse of the entire world for anyone.

Zhang Zifan paused, his voice growing even more sorrowful: "My birth parents endured countless hardships, searching for me for over a decade. Now that they have finally found me, I should... But their arrival here is to persuade me to submit to the Central Plains, hoping to influence the civil and military officials of Jiangnan. If I acknowledge them, I will almost certainly betray my vow to advance alongside you; if I insist on defending Jiangnan with you, then... how can I face their expectant and sorrowful faces?"

"On one side are my biological parents, bound by blood, whose words are righteous and awe-inspiring; on the other side is my adoptive father... who, despite our enmity, has raised me for over ten years, and is now in a miserable and destitute state; and on yet another side is you, Brother Li, my brother with whom I met when we were both in humble beginnings, and with whom I swore to stand together through thick and thin. Brother Li, how should I... conduct myself?"

He looked at Li Xingyun, his voice carrying a hint of pleading: "I didn't mean to hide it from you, it's just that this matter... is too sudden. I myself am still confused, let alone know where to begin. I'm even more afraid that... once I say it, it will be difficult for us to go back to the way things were before, and it will only cause you more trouble."

“Brother Li, although I, Zhang Zifan, am not particularly talented, I consider you my brother in this life, not because you are of the Li Tang bloodline or because of your status as emperor, but simply because you are the Li Xingyun who stole wine with me, the brother who was willing to break into Anle Pavilion to rescue me. We will advance and retreat together, live and die together, and this heart will never change…”

A long silence fell over the basement. The light from the oil lamp cast long shadows of the two men on the mottled stone wall.

After a long while, Li Xingyun slowly stepped forward, reached out, and placed his hand heavily on Zhang Zifan's shoulder.

“Zhang Zifan, I, Li Xingyun, acknowledge you as my brother not because you are the young master of the Tongwen Academy, nor because you may be a descendant of the Celestial Master's Mansion, and it has nothing to do with who your father is. The one I acknowledge is the Zhang Zifan who was willing to drink with me, listen to my nonsense, and not turn away when I was at my most vulnerable in Fangshan Gaya Temple. The one who chose to come to Jiangnan with me even though he knew the road ahead would be difficult.”

He looked directly into the turmoil in Zhang Zifan's eyes: "In life, every choice has its price. But no matter what you ultimately decide, whether you return to your ancestral home or stay and stand shoulder to shoulder with me, the fact that we are brothers will not change. Follow your heart, and don't let me hold you back. Just remember, our brotherhood began in the martial world, and we have been through thick and thin together. How could it change because of the vicissitudes of life?"

Zhang Zifan's shoulders trembled slightly. He grabbed Li Xingyun's arm and nodded vigorously. A thousand words were stuck in his chest, but in the end, he could only say with tears in his eyes, "...Thank you."

------

Outside Yangzhou city, the abandoned River God Temple was shrouded in the thick darkness of night, and the broken statues appeared blurred in the moonlight.

A dozen or so dark figures arrived silently like ghosts, gathering in the mottled courtyard. These were the leaders of the scoundrels who had just left after receiving orders from Li Xingyun; more than ten of them had returned and silently regrouped here.

They stood still like statues, saying little, simply waiting in silence.

A moment later, light footsteps came from deep within the temple.

Jingxinmo stepped forward first, his face still bearing his signature performer's attire, a half-smile playing on his lips. Beside him, Shi Yao stood silently, her hands clasped in front of her abdomen, like a shadow.

Finally, a figure slowly walked out.

His appearance was almost identical to Li Xingyun's, though he looked slightly pale in the moonlight. His eyes, however, no longer held the resentment and restlessness he had shown in Taiyuan, but had settled into something almost indifferent.

He simply stood there, his gaze slowly sweeping over the group of scoundrels standing solemnly in the courtyard, without uttering a word.

The imposing Quinn followed behind with his arms crossed.

Jingxinmo stepped forward: "Everyone has worked hard. The commander has ordered that the affairs of Jiangnan be fully entrusted to His Highness."

He turned to the side, bowed slightly to the person beside him, and then faced the crowd, saying, "If His Highness gives any orders, it is as if the Commander-in-Chief himself is here. You must do your utmost to serve him and must not make any mistakes."

Everyone bowed respectfully to the man, their movements solemn and silent.

As the imposter passed by, the surging excitement in his heart almost burst forth, but in the end he simply said in a calm voice, "No need for formalities. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. You are all pillars of the army that the Commander has painstakingly cultivated, and we will need to rely on you in the future."

Jing Xinmo smiled and replied, "Your Highness is kind. However, the Commander-in-Chief also said that the situation in Jiangnan is complicated and precarious. The Northern Army's iron hooves are about to march south, and only an iron-fisted approach can stop them. Your Highness should emulate Emperor Taizong of the past and act decisively in order to earn a place as a ruler in this chaotic world."

Shi Yao stepped forward and calmly said, "The commander has ordered that we, the Bad People, continue to act according to the previous plan and assist Your Highness. All the adversities in Jiangnan must be gathered under Your Highness's banner in order to start a new chapter on these ruins."

These words were spoken in a veiled manner, but the fake Li clearly understood them. At this moment, he finally saw himself breaking free from the shadow of the stand-in and standing in the center of the stage, even if the audience below might be an abyss.

The thugs in the courtyard all knelt on one knee and bowed to the fake Li, their actions exactly the same as they had done in the secret room.

The fake Li accepted the kneeling, nodded slightly, and after a moment's thought, still kept his words to himself: "Each goes his own way."

The group obeyed and quietly dispersed, disappearing into the night.

The Mirror Heart Demon walked to the fake Li's side, looked up at him, and smiled, "Your Highness, rest assured, everything is arranged. You only need to wait patiently. When the flames soar into the sky, it will be the moment of your ascension to the throne. In this Jiangnan, in this world, Your Highness will finally have a place..."

Fake Li didn't look at him, but gazed at the blurry outline of Yangzhou in the distance, his hand in his sleeve slowly clenching.

On the horizon, thick clouds gradually gathered, obscuring the starlight and moonlight.

(End of this chapter)