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

Chapter 524 Standing atop the First Peak of Wu Mountain (Part 5)
On the long streets of Yangzhou, corpses lay strewn about, and the groans of the wounded rose and fell intermittently in the sound of rain, further highlighting the eerie stillness of the moment.

The forces that were just fighting to the death were now frozen in place, filled with panic and bewilderment.

The bugle calls from Jiangbei did not originate from a single direction, but rather surged from west to east along the vast river, eventually converging into a massive roar that enveloped the heavens and the earth, suppressing all the shouts and clamor within the city. Even the rain seemed to succumb to this overwhelming force, becoming fine and fleeting.

On the long street, the remaining palace guards, the defected soldiers of the Black Cloud Capital, Xu Wen's troops, and the officials who had been caught up in the chaos and were in a state of panic, all stopped involuntarily and looked up in astonishment at the northern horizon, following the heart-shaking sound.

Thick, black smoke signals rose one after another, spreading rapidly across the gloomy sky, as if to completely cover the entire Jiangnan region.

War raged across the land.

But this was not merely a signal of warning from various parts of the river defenses; the quantity, density, and speed of the smoke signals were more like an immense pressure, enough to crush all private feuds within the city walls and alleys.

Faced with this pressure, the life-or-death struggle that had just taken place in Yangzhou City suddenly seemed insignificant, absurd, and out of place.

Looking up at the tower, Xu Wen's hand, which was gripping the railing, showed prominent veins, and the muscles on his face twitched slightly. His gloomy face, which had finally regained its composure after hearing Li Siyuan's identification, was now startled by this sudden change, and an unusual sense of fear appeared on his face.

He strained his eyes to look into the distance, subconsciously trying to count the exact number of smoke signals and see the specific military situation beneath them, but the rain and distance blurred everything, only conveying the overwhelming sense of oppression so clearly.

Then, in an instant, Xu Wen made a judgment.

This was no longer a routine border skirmish or probing attack by the Northern Dynasty; it was a full-scale southern expedition that the Northern ruler had been preparing for a long time and was determined to win. The scale and intensity of its military might far surpassed any previous campaign.

Compared to this, the power struggles within Yangzhou and the so-called distinction between ruler and subject seemed laughable and insignificant in the face of such annihilation.

If they continue to fight amongst themselves, they will bleed to death in this pointless attrition without the Northern Army even needing to breach the city, and will ultimately become prisoners and victims of the sword.

Jiangnan has reached a critical juncture of life and death.

He abruptly turned his gaze away, his eyes sweeping over the chaotic streets and alleys below.

Zhang Hao's body was impaled on the spear tip, already cold; the knight, identical to Li Xingyun, was also gazing up at the smoke signals in the north, his brows furrowed, but behind him were the defected soldiers of the Black Cloud Capital and those elite members of the Bad Guys.

Further away, Shi Yao, Li Sixiao, and others, though not explicitly stating their positions, were clearly following his lead.

Then, Xu Wen glanced at Li Siyuan, who was standing to the side with a deathly pale face.

The force under the fake Li is not to be underestimated. Especially now, when the city's troops are in disarray due to the fighting and are filled with panic, this force, which could suddenly attack and kill Zhang Hao and stir up trouble, has become a valuable pawn.

As for Li Siyuan's desperate attempt to expose the truth or falsehood of this person's identity... does it matter whether it's true or false in the face of the iron hooves rolling in from Jiangbei?

Conversely, Li Siyuan, this stray dog...

"The one downstairs... Your Majesty!"

In the ensuing silence, Xu Wen was the first to break it. Seeing everyone's gazes upon him, he stroked his beard and smiled amicably: "The northern invaders are pressing in, and the nation is in peril! How can all the subjects of my Great Tang Dynasty turn against each other and destroy our own defenses?"

It must be said that Xu Wen's address of "Your Majesty" was extremely natural, as if the fierce battle just now was just a misunderstanding, and the truth had just come out.

"Your Majesty, we are foolish and have failed to grasp your profound intentions in time. Zhang Hao, this scoundrel, is arrogant and domineering. He has held the King of Wu hostage and sowed discord between the emperor and his ministers. His crimes are undeniable and arouse the wrath of both gods and men! Your Majesty has endured for so long and made a decisive decision to personally execute this traitor. This is truly a thunderous act and a great act of the Ming Dynasty! Your Majesty, Xu Wen, is in awe!"

As he spoke, Xu Wen bowed deeply towards the fake Li, his posture extremely humble. Although his confidants behind him were inwardly turbulent, seeing their lord's gesture, they had no choice but to suppress their doubts and suspicions, and bowed in agreement.

The fake Li, still mounted on his horse with Zhang Hao's corpse impaled on his spear, was initially taken aback, but quickly understood Xu Wen's sudden change of heart. Mirror Heart Demon chuckled behind him, seemingly mocking Xu Wen's cunning and opportunism.

Xu Wen simply continued:
"However, Your Majesty, the northern barbarians are coming in force, their momentum overwhelming. Only the united will of the entire nation can repel them. The troops in Yangzhou, having just experienced this turmoil, also need to be quelled as soon as possible. I am not capable, but I can do my best to control them and serve Your Majesty's command. In addition, to guard against unforeseen circumstances, I have already sent my son, Zhixun, to Jinling to urgently dispatch more than 10,000 Yellow Head Army soldiers to our aid. They will arrive in no time. Therefore, the most urgent task is to stabilize the morale of the people in the city, coordinate the forces of all sides, and jointly resist the foreign aggression. What does Your Majesty think?"

Upon hearing this, the fake Li's eyes flashed.

Xu Wen's words made it very clear that, in any case, the threat posed by the Northern Army was real.

Although the fake Li took the opportunity to kill Zhang Hao, he did not completely control Yangzhou. Xu Wen's power in the city still dominated, and he still controlled the city gates. Even the Yellow Head Army was on its way to provide reinforcements.

If the fake Li were to fight Xu Wen head-on at this moment, they would only suffer heavy losses and then be crushed by the Northern Army.

As expected of Prime Minister Xu, he was decisive and flexible. What he offered was a dangerous olive branch, but it was also the only realistic option at the moment.

After a moment's hesitation, the imposter Li flicked his spear, casually tossing Zhang Hao's corpse to the ground, and then loudly proclaimed: "Prime Minister Xu is a man of great principle. With the nation in peril, personal grudges should be set aside. However, to unite against the enemy, we must be of one mind and command in unison. Since Prime Minister Xu addresses me as Your Majesty, you should know that the emperor's command is absolute!"

"It's natural."

Xu Wen answered very quickly, glancing at Wu King Yang Wo, who was being tightly protected behind Zhang Xuanling, before looking at the fake Li:
"Your Majesty, please immediately return to the palace, take charge of the overall situation, issue an edict to the world, and swear an oath to punish the rebels. As for His Highness Prince Wu, he is a member of the imperial family and an important minister. He has been disturbed by treacherous people and is exhausted both physically and mentally. In order to ensure his safety, to show Your Majesty's magnanimity towards your relatives, and to appease the old subordinates of Zhang Hao, I earnestly request that Prince Wu be invited to my residence for temporary rest. I will certainly send heavy troops to protect him strictly and ensure that nothing goes wrong."

These were the conditions proposed by Xu Wen.

I acknowledge your identity and will help you consolidate the city's troops, stabilize the situation, and fight against the Northern Army; in exchange, you must tacitly agree to my regaining control of the King of Wu card and allow me to take over the power and territory left behind by Zhang Hao after his death.

The fake Li smiled nonchalantly. He naturally understood Xu Wen's calculations, but the Northern army's advance was perfectly timed, making him equally eager for Xu Wen's support to maintain appearances and solidify his newly acquired "empire." Cooperating with Xu Wen was currently the fastest way to stabilize Yangzhou.

"Xu Xiang remained calm in the face of danger, truly a pillar of the nation. However..." The fake Li glanced meaningfully at Li Siyuan beside Xu Wen, "There are also treacherous villains in the army who sow discord and disrupt morale. They must be eliminated to appease the people and quell public sentiment."

Without needing to feign Li Mingyan's words, Xu Wen stroked his beard and nodded.

Li Siyuan, who had been huddled in the corner, feeling bewildered and uncertain because Xu Wen had suddenly admitted to being a fake Li, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Before Xu Wen could even turn his head to glance over, Li Siyuan had already rushed to the railing, and then instantly burst into tears: "Prime Minister Xu! Prime Minister Xu, please see the truth! Don't listen to that imposter's instigation! Everything I just said is true. He is definitely not Li Xingyun, but a double created by Yuan Tiangang! Prime Minister Xu, I still have a plan to help you resist the Northern Army. I know about Hebei, the northern desert..."

"Shut up!" Xu Wen interrupted sharply. "Li Siyuan, you were originally a defeated dog of the Northern Dynasty, wagging your tail and begging for mercy. I... and His Majesty took you in because you were new recruits. I never expected you to harbor such evil intentions. First, you framed His Majesty, and now you want to use false words to sow discord among the troops. Your crimes are unforgivable!"

Li Siyuan turned pale and hurriedly tried to curry favor with Xu Wen: "Prime Minister Xu! I have rendered meritorious service in reporting the news! If it weren't for me, how could you have foreseen this opportunity? Spare my worthless life, and I am willing to serve you like a slave..."

Xu Wen took a step back in disgust and shouted, "Zhong Taizhang!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Zhong Taizhang, who had been guarding him, immediately responded.

"Capture this traitor and execute him on the spot to uphold military law."

"Xu Wen! You old scoundrel who discards his tools after they've served their purpose! You'll die a horrible death! And you, you fake Li Xingyun, Xiao Yan won't let you get away with this..."

Li Siyuan was terrified and immediately began to curse and struggle, but his martial arts skills were ruined. Even if he had all the skills to kill enemies, they were useless in the moment. He was quickly held down by two fierce Xu Wen guards, one on each side.

Zhong Taizhang strode forward and, without saying a word, immediately raised his knife and brought it down.

A flash of light, and the cursing stopped abruptly.

A head rolled to the ground, covered in mud, its eyes wide open, still filled with unspeakable terror, resentment, and unwillingness.

Then, the headless corpse convulsed and fell, its blood splattering onto the wooden planks of the watchtower before being quickly diluted by the rain.

Zhong Taizhang bent down expressionlessly, grabbed the gray hair bun, and held Li Siyuan's head high.

The once powerful and scheming master of the Tongwen Academy was suddenly killed like a stray dog ​​in the wind and rain of this foreign land.

The scene fell silent for a moment, with only the indistinct sound of rain washing away the bloodstains and mud.

Still reeling from the shock, Zhang Xuanling stared blankly as Li Siyuan's head was severed from his body in an instant. He watched as this mortal enemy, who had haunted him for half his life and brought him endless pain, perished in such a sudden and casual manner, his great revenge finally achieved. Yet, instead of the expected sense of satisfaction, he felt a profound sadness, a deep sense of loss for his kind.

In this chaotic world, no matter how powerful or heroic you once were, your life is as worthless as grass, and you cannot escape the fate of being slaughtered and dying a peaceful death.

Hiding behind the ruins, Zhang Zifan witnessed this scene and his body swayed slightly, his face turning as pale as paper.

The complex emotions woven from over a decade of nurturing and deep-seated hatred vanished into nothingness at this moment, leaving one unsure whether it was relief or an even greater sense of loss. Li Xingyun gripped his friend's arm tightly, his own palms icy cold.

The fake Li watched Li Siyuan's fate with a cold eye, a hint of pleasure flashing in his eyes before he quickly concealed it.

He turned to Xu Wen on the watchtower and nodded slightly: "Minister Xu, you have acted swiftly and decisively, eliminating treacherous officials, which greatly pleases me. I grant your request. The remnants of Zhang Hao's traitorous faction have not yet been eliminated, so I trouble you, Minister Xu, to deal with them as well, clearing the streets and preventing any disturbance to the people. The Prince of Wu is my closest relative, and he has been greatly frightened, so I entrust him to Minister Xu for proper care and to ensure his safety."

"Your subject obeys the decree," Xu Wen replied, bowing. He didn't even glance at Li Siyuan's corpse, as if it were just a piece of clutter that had been cleared away.

He then waved his hand, signaling his personal guards to step forward, intending to take away the terrified and trembling King Wu from Zhang Xuanling's side.

However, just as the two seemed to have reached an alliance in a few words, a furious shout suddenly rang out: "Absurd! Shameless!"

Everyone stared in astonishment, only to see that Zhang Xuanling's Taoist robe, though stained with blood, was moving without wind, and faint purple lightning crackled and danced around his body.

After a clear shout, he held his sword horizontally in front of his chest, firmly protecting the terrified King Wu behind him. His gaze was like lightning, fixed on Xu Wen on the watchtower and the fake Li on horseback.

"Xu Wen! You colluded with sorcerers, murdered ministers, imprisoned the emperor, and now you even recognize a traitor as your master, attempting to use the emperor to command the feudal lords. This is intolerable to Heaven and Earth!"

Zhang Xuanling's voice, like a deep thunderclap, rolled through the rain, "And you, you fiend! Impersonating an imperial descendant, wreaking havoc on the court, how could you deceive the eyes of the world! With the King of Wu here, the truth is clear at a glance!"

He unleashed his pure Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Technique to its peak, and his overwhelming aura instantly pressed down on the surroundings. This caused Xu Wen's personal guards, who had been ordered to step forward to take over the Wu King's territory, to catch their breath and involuntarily retreat, not daring to approach rashly.

Fake Li's face instantly darkened.

He can ignore countless insults, but he cannot tolerate being accused of "impersonating" Li Xingyun.

In his mind, what merit or ability did Li Xingyun have to occupy that position besides his bloodline? So when faced with Zhang Xuanling's scolding, a murderous intent suddenly appeared in his eyes.

Unexpectedly, Xu Wen laughed heartily, his gaze falling on Zhang Xuanling, his tone surprisingly sincere:
"If what I've said about Li Siyuan is true, then you must be Zhang Xuanling, the Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion, who has been missing for many years, right? The Celestial Master is a reclusive master, why stir up such a nameless rage? His Majesty's identity is ordained by Heaven, how can it be questioned? Moreover..."

He changed the subject slightly and continued with a smile:

"Even if the Celestial Master disregards his own safety, he must still think of those close to him. To be honest, just a few hours ago, I sent someone to 'invite' the Empress and Miss Lu Linxuan to come and meet me, so as not to frighten them from the chaos of the soldiers. In addition, I have heard that your wife, the True Lady Xu, is a woman of great talent and has a deep affection for the Celestial Master. I suppose she is also worried about the Celestial Master's safety at this moment?"

Zhang Xuanling was shocked, and his face instantly turned extremely ugly.

He had already vaguely figured out the changes that had taken place in the past two days when he saw Li Siyuan beside Xu Wen. Although he didn’t know how much of what Xu Wen said was true or false, in the midst of the chaos of war, anything was unpredictable, and his heart couldn’t help but tighten instantly.

"Xu Wen! How dare you!"

"I only wish to ensure everyone's safety and get through this difficult time together," Xu Wen said calmly. "As long as the Celestial Master is willing to let the King of Wu return to his residence with my men, I will treat him with courtesy and guarantee that the Celestial Master and Master Xu will be reunited as soon as possible."

However, upon hearing this, Zhang Xuanling's sword flashed even brighter, and he did not retreat an inch while protecting the King of Wu, but instead shielded him even more tightly behind him.

The dozen or so disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion who had been accompanying Zhang Xuanling immediately drew their swords and stepped forward. Despite being surrounded, their faces were solemn, but none of them retreated. They stood up to Zhang Xuanling and confronted Xu Wen's personal guards.

Meanwhile, Shi Yao, Li Sixiao, and the other members of the Bad Guys who had previously fought alongside Zhang Xuanling were merely watching coldly, leading the officials to stand behind the fake Li.

Although they did not launch an attack on Zhang Xuanling, their silence was more like a tacit acceptance, acknowledging the current emperor status of the fake Li and the temporary alliance reached between Xu Wen and the fake Li.

This made Zhang Xuanling's eyes almost burst with rage, and his hand holding the sword trembled slightly with resentment.

The situation reached a stalemate once again.

On one side, Zhang Xuanling is protecting the King of Wu, and a military standoff is imminent; on the other side, Xu Wen believes he has hostages as leverage to coerce others.

The air seemed to freeze again, and even the sound of rain sounded particularly harsh.

Just at this critical moment, a voice suddenly came from the houses and alleys behind the long street.

"No need to bother."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Li Xingyun slowly walking out of the alley. Zhang Zifan, who was following behind him with an anxious expression, tried to grab him, but he gently pushed him away.

He walked with a limp, his armor tattered, his face stained with blood, but he ignored the astonished, suspicious, wary, and even pitying gazes around him, and walked straight across the battlefield littered with corpses, stopping a few steps in front of the fake Li's horse.

Two people, almost identical in appearance and build, one perched high on horseback, gleaming in armor; the other standing in the mud, disheveled and wretched. They gazed at each other silently, one above the other.

Fake Li narrowed his eyes, his hand gripping the spear tightening involuntarily, a surge of indescribable restlessness and wariness rising within him.

Li Xingyun glanced at the face that was identical to his own, then swept his gaze over the Mirror Heart Demon behind the fake Li, and looked around at the dark mass of various troops that had temporarily fallen silent due to the Northern Army's advance. Finally, his gaze settled on Zhang Xuanling, whose face was pale and whose eyes were full of worry and confusion.

Then, under everyone's incredulous gaze, Li Xingyun slowly bent his knees and knelt down before the fake Li on horseback.

"This guilty subject kowtows to Your Majesty."

A commotion arose in the crowd, and astonished whispers filled the air. Zhang Zifan's eyes widened in fury, and he almost rushed forward.

Li Xingyun raised his head, stopping Zhang Zifan behind him, and continued:
"This humble subject is merely a shadowy figurehead, placed here by the Commander-in-Chief in preparation for Your Majesty's occasional needs. Today, this humble subject has disobeyed his duty, recklessly instigated conflict, causing unrest in the city and disturbing Your Majesty's presence. His sins are grave, deserving of death. All this trouble arose from a single moment of weakness on my part, and has nothing to do with anyone else. I humbly beg Your Majesty to see the truth and punish only this humble subject."

These words caused an uproar. The already confused officials and soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment and discussed among themselves, completely unable to understand the meaning of this sudden talk of a "stand-in" or "shadow".

Even Xu Wen, who was on the watchtower, narrowed his eyes slightly, gently stroking his beard as he thoughtfully examined Li Xingyun kneeling in the mud.

The fake Li was clearly not expecting Li Xingyun to pull this stunt. But after the initial shock, an extremely complex emotion surged into his heart.

This emotion is an unbelievable ecstasy, the joy of finally trampling the real person underfoot after years of suppression, but what follows is a deeper sense of humiliation and anger!
Li Xingyun's seemingly humble submission and his composed acceptance of everything felt like a silent slap in the face to the fake Li's pride, which had been constantly insecure due to the stolen identity.

Given how things have come to this, given the current situation, how can he be so open and honest? How dare he play the victim in front of me?
This feeling of frustration caused the fake Li's anger to instantly overwhelm his pleasure. He almost couldn't help but shout at Li Xingyun to expose his pretentious act.

Li Xingyun didn't wait for him to speak, but turned directly to Xu Wen on the watchtower and continued:

"Prime Minister Xu, to reassure the people, you need proof. King Wu is old and frail, and this shock has overwhelmed him. I am willing to go back to the palace with your men in his place, as a hostage, to demonstrate my sincerity. I only ask that you keep your promise, immediately open the road, and allow Master Zhang to escort King Wu safely back to the palace to rest. Furthermore, you must ensure the safety of the Empress, Miss Lu, and Master Xu Huan. If anything happens to them..."

He didn't say anything more, but the unfinished words carried even more weight, making Xu Wen, who was well-versed in human nature, smile with great interest.

The fake Li was furious, his face turning ashen. He could tell that Li Xingyun had outmaneuvered him. If everyone present was confused and didn't understand the truth, could that old fox Xu Wen not tell the difference between the real and fake Li?

The life or death of the King of Wu is irrelevant to the fake Li, but a "Li Xingyun" who is willing to be a hostage and can stir up nerves from all sides is far more valuable than a King of Wu who is constantly in fear.

This is tantamount to handing over a more important hostage and initiative to Xu Wen, while the "emperor" himself is left out in the cold.

The spear in Fake Li's hand trembled slightly with rage, as if he wanted to thrust it down immediately. However, Mirror Heart Demon coughed lightly beside him, signaling him to calm down and prioritize the greater good.

Zhang Zifan closed his eyes in anguish, tears mingling with the rain as they streamed down his face. All the preparations, all the planning, had resulted in this; it still required Li Xingyun's sacrifice to save even more people.

Zhang Xuanling's body trembled violently. Looking at Li Xingyun kneeling in the mud, his eyes were instantly filled with admiration, heartache, and reluctance he had never felt before. He wanted to speak, but Li Xingyun stopped him with a look.

After all, even Zhang Xuanling knew that this was the best outcome they could achieve under the current circumstances.

As for Shi Yao, who was leading a group of rogues, she remained silent.

After hearing Li Xingyun's words, a subtle, complex emotion seemed to flash in her eyes, but it didn't seem to. She remained expressionless throughout, as if she had everything under control, or as if everything was irrelevant to her.

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Wen nodded slightly and gave the fake Li a smile that appeared kind but was actually quite profound:

“Your Majesty, since this righteous man is so righteous and willing to serve as a hostage to appease the people, I believe that his plight is pitiful and his intentions are commendable. Why not grant his request? It would also demonstrate Your Majesty’s benevolence.”

Fake Li sneered. How could he let Xu Wen have his way, and how could he let Li Xingyun, who was courting death, ruin his grand plan?

But just as he was about to speak, a rogue suddenly slipped through the crowd, silently approached the horse's side, and quickly reported something in a very low voice.

"The commander-in-chief has given the order, approved."

Only a few words, yet they made the fake Li freeze in shock.

He almost instinctively looked up abruptly, his gaze sweeping around the streets and alleys with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty, as if searching for some invisible yet omnipresent figure.

...But with the rain blurring the view, where could one see even a trace of that bronze mask?
Yet the command reached his ears so vividly, as if the person were standing right behind him, coldly watching his every move.

All around was silent, except for the howling north wind carrying the scent of war smoke and the monotonous sound of rain hitting the armor.

All eyes were on the fake Li, waiting for his reaction.

The fake Li sat stiffly on horseback, feeling the gazes directed at him from all directions, his chest heaving violently. Finally, he spoke in a cold, almost forced voice, as if squeezed out from between his teeth, suppressing countless emotions:
"...Granted."

(End of this chapter)