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

Chapter 518 Leading a Million Troops to West Lake (Part 4)
The following morning, Yangzhou was shrouded in a thin mist, as if draped in a light veil.

The drizzle of last night has stopped, but the eaves still drip intermittently, making a sporadic sound. People are gradually returning to the market, but most of the passersby have solemn expressions and hurry along, a far cry from the usual hustle and bustle.

In the east of the city, in a courtyard with a low lintel and an inconspicuous appearance, the lights were still on in the middle of the night.

Zhang Xuanling held a piece of paper in his hand, his gaze sweeping across the cryptic text with lightning speed. With just a slight exertion, the thin paper instantly turned to dust, scattering into the morning mist with the wind.

Xu Huan stood to the side, her hands clasped tightly, silently watching him. The morning chill seeped in through the cracks in the window, causing her to unconsciously pull her robes tighter around her.

"This is from Fan'er," Zhang Xuanling said in a low voice. "The situation is more urgent than we thought. Xu Wen and Zhang Hao can no longer hold back and have demanded that Li Xingyun go to the front line to oversee the river defenses. A coup is imminent. That kid Li Xingyun... has been cornered and has decided to make his move tomorrow."

Xu Huan gasped, instinctively glancing towards the door, her voice low: "Tomorrow? So rushed..."

"The arrow is on the string, and we have no choice but to release it." Zhang Xuanling said solemnly, "Fan'er wants us to send the Empress and Miss Lu out of Yangzhou today and take refuge in Longhu Mountain."

Xu Huan sighed, "Xu Wen and Zhang Hao are truly ruthless. They're cutting off Fan'er and the others' escape route, blocking their last bit of room to maneuver. However... the Empress is about to give birth, and moving them now is extremely risky. But staying in Yangzhou, this den of dragons and tigers, I'm afraid..."

"Choose the lesser of two evils," Zhang Xuanling interrupted her, his tone resolute. "Now that Li Xingyun has taken the throne, he is destined to face these open and hidden attacks. The current plan is not to lament, but to deal with them. Since he has entrusted the Empress and Miss Lu to us, he has placed his life, his future hopes, and his very existence on this. The palace is ever-changing; once chaos breaks out, swords will strike without mercy. We must get them out as soon as possible; we cannot afford to lose them."

Xu Huan nodded: "I understand. I will handle the escort of the Empress and Miss Lu. I am familiar with Miss Lu, and the Empress is heavily pregnant and needs careful attention on the journey. I have some medical knowledge, so I will be more reliable. I will take my two junior brothers, Xuanzhen and Xuanjing, with me. They are meticulous, familiar with Yangzhou, and skilled enough to handle ordinary troubles. They are steady and reliable. The only problem is that we need to find a suitable excuse, prepare the carriages and horses, and plan the route out of the city. We also need to consider that the Empress is about to give birth and we need to minimize the bumpy ride."

"Um……"

Zhang Xuanling pondered for a moment and said, “We can use the excuse of praying for the royal family and the unborn imperial heir to go to Qionghua Temple outside the city for a religious ceremony. Qionghua Temple has had a long-standing relationship with our Celestial Master's Mansion since Gao Pian built it. The abbot is also trustworthy and can be used as a temporary stopover to avoid the checkpoints on the official road. Fan'er has also taken care of the necessary travel documents. The key is to get out of Yangzhou as soon as possible. After you pick up the person, leave Yangzhou immediately, the sooner the better, and don't look back.”

He paused, then looked at his wife: "Huan Niang, this journey carries a heavy responsibility on your shoulders, so please be careful. Yangzhou City is now a den of dragons and tigers, and the road outside the city will not be easy either."

Xu Huan smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. But you..."

Then, she said worriedly, "Interfering in the affairs of the Prince of Wu's residence is extremely dangerous. Since Xu Wen and Zhang Hao dared to imprison the Prince of Wu, the guards they have deployed must be impregnable, with countless experts. Although your strength has recovered, you can't fight against so many opponents..."

Zhang Xuanling raised his hand to stop her from speaking, his gaze fixed on the brightening sky outside the window:

“Some things always need to be done. King Wu is the nominal ruler of Wu. If we can rescue him, it will benefit the overall situation. It is also related to the peace of mind of Li Xingyun and the Empress. I have my own plans. I will not rush in rashly. I will wait for the right opportunity. If things are not possible, I will not force it.”

The couple gazed at each other for a moment, a thousand words unspoken in their eyes. Years of weathering storms together, even after more than a decade of separation, their hearts remained connected. Xu Huan knew her husband's outwardly gentle but inwardly resolute nature; once he made a decision, it was difficult to change it. She sighed softly, said nothing more, but simply reached out and placed her hand on Zhang Xuanling's, squeezing it firmly.

"be careful."

"Don't worry." Zhang Xuanling forced a reassuring smile. "My old bones aren't going to fall apart so easily. But you, with your long journey ahead, must be careful."

"You too."

After giving her brief instructions, Xu Huan hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "What should we do with Li Siyuan? Leaving him here will only bring trouble."

Without a second thought, Zhang Xuanling's face turned cold: "This wretched child deserves to die a thousand deaths and should be exterminated immediately."

However, after he finished speaking, Xu Huan pondered for a moment and then gently shook his head:
“My husband, I know you hate this man to the core. And so do I. But… did you notice that when Fan’er mentioned him, though his eyes were filled with hatred, there was still a struggle deep within? Even if the father-son relationship of more than ten years was entirely false, it cannot be severed cleanly just like that. I could see that when Fan’er saw Li Siyuan’s appearance that day, there was not only pleasure in his eyes.”

If we kill Li Siyuan now, this knot in our hearts will likely be forever etched in Fan'er's mind, hindering his cultivation and his state of mind.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xuanling paused for a moment, stunned. Recalling his son's complex and pained expression, he had to admit that his wife's words were accurate. He sighed deeply, his anger gradually subsiding, and said helplessly, "Then, according to your opinion, Madam..."

"It would be better to spare his life for now," Xu Huan said. "Take him back to Longhu Mountain, imprison him in the back mountain, and keep him under strict guard. His martial arts are ruined, and he can't cause any trouble. After this matter is over, Fan'er can decide for himself. Whether to kill him or spare him, this karma should be settled by him. Only in this way can he be free."

Zhang Xuanling listened in silence, his brows furrowed. He knew his wife was right; it concerned his son's state of mind, and he couldn't force him.

After much deliberation, he finally sighed and said, "Fine, I'll do as you say. But we shouldn't stay here any longer; we need to send him away immediately."

He pondered for a moment and said, "Let Yuanqing and Yuanliang make the trip. They are quite skilled, steady, and unremarkable. They should be able to escort a cripple. However, the city is heavily guarded now. If they are gagged and bound, they may not be able to get through the city gates. Have them subdue the man with medicine, disguise him as a patient's family member, sneak out of the city, and return directly to the mountain. They will be handed over to the abbot's uncle for strict supervision. There must be no mistakes."

Xu Huan nodded: "I'll go arrange it right away."

Soon, two young men dressed in ordinary clothes entered the room to receive their master's instructions. Zhang Xuanling carefully explained the precautions to take along the way, especially emphasizing the need to conceal their whereabouts. Finally, he said, "This villain is vicious and wicked. Although his martial arts have been crippled, we must not relax our vigilance in the slightest. If we encounter anything unusual on the road, or if this person makes any unusual moves... it is better to kill the innocent than to let the tiger return to the mountain."

The two bowed and accepted the order, then solemnly withdrew.

The door to another room in the courtyard opened and then quickly closed. Faint sounds of struggle and groans could be heard, then silence fell. After a while, an unremarkable mule cart silently drove out of the backyard and disappeared into the misty morning fog.

Zhang Xuanling and Xu Huan stood in the courtyard, listening to the sound of the wheels receding into the distance, but they did not feel relieved.

"You should also prepare as soon as possible. At the latest by the afternoon, you must find a way to help the Empress and Miss Lu leave the palace," Zhang Xuanling instructed. "I will cover you in secret."

Xu Huan paused slightly, nodded heavily, and then quickly walked out of the courtyard.

------

The mule cart drove out of the west gate of Yangzhou city, followed the official road for a while, and then turned onto a more remote dirt road. It was past dawn, and a light drizzle began to fall again. On both sides of the road were withered yellow fields and sparse woods.

At a relatively densely wooded section of the road, Yuanliang reined in the mule and parked the cart under the shade of the trees by the roadside.

"Senior brother, come down and rest your feet, have a drink of water." Yuan Liang jumped off the carriage shaft, not bothering to avoid the rain, but just stretched his limbs. Then, while speaking, he looked around cautiously, walked to the roadside, picked up his water bag, and drank some water.

After waiting a moment, he turned back with slight suspicion, then tucked the water pouch into his robes, gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist, and slowly walked towards the mule cart, his tone as calm as possible: "Senior Brother?" Fortunately, Yuan Qing's grumbling voice could be heard from inside the cart: "That old bastard, he was completely lifeless just now. I thought he was dead, and I was shocked. He was faking it! Damn it, I'll tie him up..."

Upon hearing these words, Yuan Liang smiled, feeling slightly relieved, but his hand did not loosen its grip on the sword hilt; instead, he reached out to lift the carriage curtain.

But as soon as the curtain was partially opened, his pupils suddenly contracted and his expression changed drastically.

Time passed slowly, the rain gradually subsided, and only the monotonous sound of dripping water from the eaves continued.

The mule cart sat quietly under the shade of a tree, the mule pulling it pawing restlessly at the mud beneath its hooves.

About half an hour later, two fast horses galloped up and stopped beside the mule cart.

The riders on horseback were dressed in coarse cloth, but their eyes were very sharp. They had obviously followed some clues to get here. When they saw the mule cart, one of them looked around warily, while the other dismounted and quickly leaned into the cart to check.

Inside the carriage, two disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion lay slumped in their seats, eyes wide open, each with a fine yet deep cut on their throat, blood staining their fronts. They were already dead. Their weapons were not even fully drawn.

Apart from the two corpses, the carriage was empty, with only a few broken ropes scattered on the seats.

"The man is dead," the examiner said in a low voice. "He hasn't been dead for long. Judging from the wounds, the attack was ruthless and skillful; it's undoubtedly Li Siyuan's doing."

Upon hearing this, the other person also approached to take a look. His gaze swept over the empty carriage and the broken rope, and his expression changed slightly. He then looked around and realized that Li Siyuan had abandoned the carriage and left, clearly not wanting anyone to see the tire tracks. He was indeed very careful.

Where did he go?

“He is now a stray dog, his martial arts are completely useless. Only by seeking refuge with Xu Wen can he have a chance to survive.” The inspector stood up, his tone grave. “Report this matter to Tianzui Star (Mirror Heart Demon) immediately. Li Siyuan’s escape may change the course of our plans.”

The two quickly drove the mule cart into the reeds for some cover, then mounted their horses, turned them around, and galloped off towards Yangzhou.

------

In the afternoon, in the inner city of Yangzhou, near the imperial palace, in the residence of a high-ranking official of the Wu Kingdom.

The fake Li was facing a bronze mirror, carefully adjusting his military robe.

He stroked his chin, turned left and right, examining his handsome face. After a moment's thought, he stepped back, carefully paced a few steps, and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He nodded in satisfaction, but then his face darkened as he realized that this posture was also an imitation of someone else's.

Outside the room, Mirror Heart Demon hurried past several sentries and entered the inner chamber.

"Your Highness, two pieces of news."

The fake Li didn't turn around, but instead walked to the table, looked at the map of Yangzhou's inner city, and traced the directions on it with his finger. "Speak."

"First, Li Xingyun has decided to launch his attack at tomorrow's court assembly, directly beheading Xu Wen, Zhang Hao, and other henchmen to seize control of the military and political affairs. He has already secretly mobilized the palace guards and contacted Tianyouxing, Tianmengxing, Tianjixing, and others..."

The fake Li's lips twitched slightly: "Oh? He finally couldn't hold back. Good, saves me the trouble of going through all that trouble."

"Second," Jingxinmo paused, his voice growing deeper, "we just received an urgent report from outside the city. Zhang Xuanling sent disciples to escort Li Siyuan away from Yangzhou, but two disciples were killed in the western suburbs, and Li Siyuan... has disappeared without a trace."

The fake Li's finger suddenly stopped on the map, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, which then turned into amusement: "Li Siyuan ran away?"

"Yes. Judging from the traces at the scene, he suddenly killed someone with ruthless methods, which is completely unlike someone whose martial arts have been crippled."

After a moment of silence, the fake Li suddenly let out a cold laugh, "What a fine old dog. As expected of the Holy Master of the Tongwen Hall, he is indeed not so easy to die."

Jingxinmo stepped forward and pondered, "Your Highness, Li Siyuan is cunning as a devil. Although his martial arts are gone, his mind remains. Now that he has escaped, in order to survive, he is very likely to try to join Xu Wen and Zhang Hao and reveal Li Xingyun's coup plan. If this is the case, Li Xingyun may suffer a backlash and his life will be in danger..."

Fake Li walked to the other side, picked up a cup of tea that had long since gone cold, and rubbed the inside of the cup: "So?"

Jingxinmo paused for a moment: "So, should we immediately reveal this information to Li Xingyun so that he can be on guard or cancel the operation? Our people can also find Li Siyuan first and eliminate him."

The amused smile on Fake Li's face deepened: "Tell him? Why should we tell him?"

Mirror Heart Demon was taken aback again, glancing at the fake Li, seemingly puzzled: "What does Your Highness mean?"

"Isn't Li Siyuan's betrayal exactly what I wanted?" The fake Li seemed to have heard something ridiculous. "Once Xu Wen and Zhang Hao get the news, they'll surely lay a trap. If Li Xingyun walks right into it, both sides will fight to the death, resulting in mutual destruction. That way, the chaos in Yangzhou will be more complete. Then, wouldn't it be much easier to clean up the mess?"

He put down his teacup and sneered, "Keep the news under wraps. Nothing about Li Siyuan should be leaked to the outside world. In particular, Li Xingyun's side must not know. Tell both sides to be on time for the appointment tomorrow."

The expression behind the Mirror Heart Demon mask shifted, and he reminded him, "Your Highness, although the Commander-in-Chief has granted you permission to replace Li Xingyun, it seems he hasn't explicitly stated his intention to take Li Xingyun's life. If he truly dies in the chaos of battle, I'm afraid..."

"Don't worry, he won't die so easily."

Fake Li glanced at Jing Xinmo, sized him up, and interrupted, "A person chosen by the Commander should have some destiny."

Jing Xinmo hesitated, but then saw the fake Li walk to the clothes rack, where a set of armor belonging to a high-ranking Wu general was hanging.

"Besides, aren't I supposed to 'help' him out?"

“I will let him live, so that he can see who is more suitable to govern Jiangnan, who is worthy of... everything he once had and is about to lose. I will also let him know that there is only one Li Xingyun in Jiangnan.”

(End of this chapter)