Huangming

Chapter 304 Insider's Secret Pact, Heavenly Soldiers Approach the Border

The night in Hetu Ala was bathed in the moisture of the Suzi River, carrying a sticky, humid heat.

The vermilion gate of the Fushun Imperial Son-in-Law's Mansion was tightly closed, and the lanterns hanging under the eaves swayed in the wind, casting the three characters "Imperial Son-in-Law's Mansion" on and off.

"哐哐哐~"

A series of urgent knocks broke the silence.

Old Wang, the gatekeeper, ran out in his slippers. He had just opened the door a crack when he was choked by a strong smell of alcohol and frowned.

"My dear young master, where have you been drinking all this time?"

Old Wang quickly opened the door and helped Li Yangeng, who was staggering inside.

"The mistress has been talking about it several times inside."

Li Yangeng was wearing a dark blue silk robe with wine stains on the collar, and his scraggly rat tail hair was stuck to his sweaty forehead.

Upon hearing the word "alcohol," he suddenly covered his mouth, staggered to the stone steps under the porch, and vomited with a "whoosh."

The sour, rancid wine mixed with undigested meat scraps splattered on the bluestone slab, causing him to cough violently and choke on his tears.

Old Wang quickly handed over a handkerchief, feeling a little envious as he looked at his master.

Who doesn't know that this young prince consort has recently become a "celebrity" in the Hetu Ala aristocratic circle?
Every day, he would either feast at the Tabai Beile Mansion or play drinking games in the barracks of the Niru Ejen at the city gate. Night after night, he would return drunk, which became a common occurrence.

But only Li Yangeng himself knew how difficult it was to be a "celebrity".

He practically emptied his pockets to curry favor with Tabai, the garrison commander of Hetu Ala.

His father gave away his best fabrics, exquisite porcelain, and gold and silver accumulated over many years, all in the form of a flowing stream, in exchange for Tabai's comment that "Yan Geng is a straightforward man."

Drinking is even harder to bear.

The Jurchen liquor was as strong as a knife. Every time they had a banquet, the armored Taijis and Ejen would drink it from large bowls. How could a Han Chinese withstand such torment?
Several times, he drank until midnight, pretending to be drunk while lying on the table, listening to people boast about how they slaughtered Han people, how they seized cities, and how they played with Han women, which made him feel waves of murderous intent.

"However, it was all worth it..."

Li Yangeng wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and muttered to himself.

He remembered that Tabai had gotten drunk the night before and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Yan Geng, from now on, you can enter any of the east gates of the city!"

He recalled that the Niru Ejen, who was guarding the east gate, accepted the jade-inlaid waist knife he had given him and became sworn brothers with him.

He then recalled the soldiers guarding the city, whom he had fattened up with wine and meat, who would greet him from afar...

These were all bargaining chips he acquired through gold, silver, and a life of debauchery.

"Young prince, why don't you go back to your room and rest?" Old Wang asked cautiously.

Li Yangeng waved his hand and stood up, leaning against the wall for support.

A night breeze blew, sobering him up considerably, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, completely different from his drunken state.

"Soon... soon..."

He spoke in a low voice, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

He didn't know when the Ming army would arrive, nor how well Hu Xue was preparing, but he knew that the "seeds" he had planted would soon sprout.

At that time, all the wine swallowed, the gold and silver given away, and the humiliation suffered during these days will turn into sharp blades piercing the heart of Hetu Ala.

Enter the east courtyard.

Li Yangeng sat on a pearwood chair, while two maids carefully removed his wine-stained boots, and another servant held a celadon bowl, feeding him spoonfuls of warm hangover soup.

The soup contained honey and dried tangerine peel. The sweet and slightly bitter taste slid down my throat, suppressing the burning pain in my stomach, and my drowsy head gradually cleared up.

"Young master, would you like to rest now?" the steward asked, bowing his head and holding a neatly folded nightgown in his hands.

Li Yangeng rubbed his throbbing temples and was about to nod when a light knock came from outside the courtyard gate, accompanied by the whispers of servants.

A moment later, the steward hurriedly returned, holding a letter sealed with wax.

"Young master, there is a person outside the door who calls himself Hu Xue. He asked me to give this to you."

"Hu Xue?"

Li Yangeng's eyelids twitched suddenly, and the effects of the alcohol dissipated almost instantly.

He sat up abruptly, and his fingertips trembled slightly as he took the letter.

finally come.

All these days of enduring humiliation and hardship, haven't we been waiting for this day?

The movements of the Ming army and the date of the siege must have been written in this letter.

He waved his hand to dismiss the servants, sat alone under the lamp, and carefully peeled off the sealing wax.

The letter was on ordinary, rough paper, but it bore only one line of neat handwriting:
"Young Prince Consort, let's go fishing at Erdaogou tomorrow at dawn and see who catches the most fish!"

Li Yangeng stared at the words, his brows furrowing slightly. No military report, no code, just an ordinary invitation?
This Hu Xue is really cautious.

A faint smile appeared on Li Yangeng's lips.

The Erdaogou River is not far from Hetu Ala City, and its banks are overgrown with reeds, making it extremely secluded. The so-called "fishing" naturally refers to discussing the details of the siege face-to-face.

It seems the Ming army is already close at hand, and they dare not write a single extra word in their letters.

He brought the letter close to the candle flame, watched it turn to ashes, and then extinguished the embers with tea to make sure there was no trace left.

Only after doing all this did I lie back down on the bed.

A long time passed, but it also felt like only a moment.

Just as the clapper sounded twice at 1:15 AM, Li Yangeng opened his eyes.

The sky outside the window was still shrouded in darkness, with only a faint hint of dawn appearing in the east. Yet, as if he had been prepared, he nimbly got up and put on his clothes.

The personal servant had already prepared the clothes.

He wore a slightly worn blue cloth shirt, his trousers were tightly tied at the ankle, and he wore non-slip hemp shoes, making him look like an ordinary fisherman.

Li Yangeng picked up the gleaming bamboo fishing rod from the corner of the wall. The fishing line tied to the tip still had earthworms left over from yesterday. Everything seemed perfectly ordinary.

"Young master, won't you rest a bit?" The servant brought over some hot water.

"No, I'll miss breakfast if I go too late." Li Yangeng took the towel, wiped his face, and left the hospital with his fishing rod.

The east gate of Hetu Ala was only half open when the Jin soldiers guarding the city were yawning as they changed shifts.

Upon seeing Li Yangeng, several familiar soldiers immediately grinned and said, "Is the Prince Consort going fishing again? You'd better catch a few more today. That jar of liquor from yesterday is still waiting to be served as a snack!"

"Don't worry, you'll get your share."

Li Yangeng smiled and raised the fishing rod in his hand.

"Once I catch a big one, I'll treat the brothers to some newly brewed wine tomorrow!"

As he spoke, he casually patted the shoulder of the leading officer, who returned the gesture with a familiar punch, shouting, "Young prince, don't try to cheat."

Amidst the joking laughter, Li Yangeng continued walking without stopping, successfully exiting the city gate and quickly disappearing into the morning mist outside the city.

After leaving the city, he walked along the main road for about two miles before turning into a side road covered by reeds.

Dew dampened my trouser legs, carrying the chill of the morning air, and the faint sound of flowing water could be heard from the Suzi River in the distance. After walking for about half a cup of tea's time, the course of the Erdao River gradually became clear.

The river was not wide, the current was gentle, and the banks were covered with waist-high wormwood, which was his usual fishing spot.

It was still dark, and the morning mist shrouded the river like a thin veil, reducing visibility to only a few feet.

Li Yangeng chose a smooth bluestone to sit on, cast his fishing line into the water, and the float barely touched the surface in the mist before disappearing from sight.

He held the rod patiently, feeling the subtle vibrations of the fishing line through his fingertips. Before long, he caught a few finger-length minnows and casually tossed them into the bamboo basket beside him.

Just then, a soft rustling came from the grass behind him. The footsteps were very light, but they did not escape Li Yangeng's ears.

"My lord has arrived early."

A slightly hoarse voice rang out, tinged with a hint of laughter.

Li Yangeng did not turn around, and slowly placed the fishing rod on the bluestone.

He turned around and saw the person in front of him. It was Hu Xue, who was doing business in Hetu Ala.

"Are the heavenly soldiers coming?"

Li Yangeng went straight to the point and asked.

His voice was very low, but it carried an uncontrollable urgency.

Hu Xue raised her hand and touched the carefully grown beard under her chin.

He met Li Yangeng's gaze, nodded solemnly, and said in a slightly serious tone: "Tomorrow, at 3:45 AM."

tomorrow?

Is it the third quarter of the Yin hour?

The time is so specific!
Li Yangeng took a deep breath, suppressing his surging blood and qi, and pressed on, "Is it true or false? Will it be on time?"

If the Ming army delays...

He could lose his life because of this.

"Since I've given you a date, I absolutely will not delay it."

Hu Xue remained very calm.

Li Yangeng can be trusted.

This was clear from the moment Li Yangeng did not report him.

Hu Xue slowly said:
"I have already made contact with the Ming army outside the city. The Ming army is well-armored and numerous, so taking down the city is not a problem. The key is how to take down the city quickly and how to guard against reinforcements from the Jurchens."

Hu Xue said meaningfully, "The guards guarding both the inner and outer city are Tabai's personal guards. Are you confident you can break through?"

A ruthless glint flashed in Li Yangeng's eyes, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "The Niru Ejen of the East Gate of the Inner City was drunk in my mansion the other day, clinging to my arm and calling me brother."

"Invite them to a banquet, and smear some 'sleeping potion' into the liquor. I guarantee they'll be paralyzed in half an hour. At that point, I can open not only the inner and outer east gates, but also the armory in the outer city for the heavenly army!"

"it is good!"

Hu Xue slapped her thigh suddenly, her voice filled with rare excitement.

"I knew I was right about you!"

He stepped forward, patted Li Yangeng on the shoulder, and said:
"Your chance to make a name for yourself lies in these two days. Whether you can wash away the humiliation you've suffered in Hetu Ala all these years and the stigma of being a 'traitor' you've borne; whether you can obtain the title of Earl of Weilu like Liu Xingzuo and bring glory to your ancestors—it all depends on this one opportunity!"

Liu Xingzuo's return to the Ming Dynasty to be enfeoffed as a count had long been the object of his envy and jealousy.

Now that this opportunity was presented to him, he knew it might be the only one he would ever have in his life.

He clenched his fist tightly, his eyes sharpening drastically.

"I understand! I will seize this opportunity."

"Take care of yourself."

Hu Xue said no more, took one last look at the mist on the river, and then turned and disappeared into the reeds.

His footsteps were extremely light; his coarse cloth robe swept across the wormwood, leaving only a soft "rustling" sound, before he disappeared into the depths of the morning mist in an instant.

Li Yangeng watched his figure disappear, then suddenly threw his fishing rod into the water.

The minnows in the bamboo basket were still thrashing about, but he couldn't care less. He grabbed the short knife that was on the bluestone and turned to rush towards Hetu Ala.

When they returned to the prince consort's residence, the sun had just climbed over the east wall.

He kicked open the door and found a box.

Opening the box, at the bottom was a register with forty-three names on it. These were all Han servants and surrendered soldiers he had secretly bought over the years, and even two Jurchen commoners who harbored resentment towards the Jurchens.

"It's time."

A fanatical light gleamed in Li Yangeng's eyes.

He needed to assign tasks immediately: who would keep a close eye on Tabai's movements, who would be responsible for changing the medicine during the banquet, and who would prepare to receive the heavenly troops outside the city...

This time.

Li Yangeng must completely shed the name of a traitor!
He wanted to be a Han Chinese with dignity!

Meanwhile, deep in the dense forest twenty miles outside Hetu Ala, two weary teams simultaneously set up camp and hid in the forest.

Mao Wenlong and Zhao Shuaijiao stood on the hillside, gazing at the faintly visible Suzi River Valley in the distance, both with undisguised joy in their eyes.

Zhao Shuaijiao's four thousand soldiers were slumped on the ground, many of them had taken off their straw sandals, revealing their feet that were worn raw and bleeding, and heavy breathing echoed through the forest.

Starting from Pi Island, they crossed the sea in a small boat amidst raging waves. Upon arriving in Uiju, North Korea, they didn't even catch their breath before speeding north along a tributary of the Yalu River.

The old site of Liubao in Kuandian had long been turned into wasteland. They walked through wild grass that was above their knees, and at night they slept wrapped in wet clothes in the crevices of rocks, managing to compress the original fifteen-day journey into twelve days.

"General, the inventory is complete."

The guards reported in a low voice.

“A total of 312 brothers were separated from each other along the way or fell off cliffs.”

Mao Wenlong and Zhao Shuaijiao frowned deeply.

Of the four thousand men, more than three hundred were lost; this was the last bit of their strength they had managed to preserve.

“Tell the brothers to be patient. Once we get past this mountain ridge, we will see Zu Dashou’s men and Hetu Ala.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a bird call, consisting of three short and one long, suddenly came from the dense forest downstream.

That was the agreed-upon code.

Mao Wenlong and Zhao Shuaijiao were invigorated and were about to get up when they saw a light cavalry unit emerge from the woods. The leader of the unit was Huang Degong, who was wearing bright armor.

The thousand elite troops brought by Huang Degong were all in high spirits, forming a stark contrast with the troops of Mao Wenlong and Zhao Shuaijiao.

They traveled by waterway through the Yalu River Gorge, heading north along the swift current in a boat.

Although they did not avoid the Jurchen outposts, they brought over the most crucial siege equipment and very important provisions.

Ten light ladders, three breech-loading cannons, and even several boxes of explosives and several ships of provisions were all transported over intact.

"General Zhao arrived so quickly!"

Huang Degong dismounted.

He clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, "I thought I'd have to wait a whole day for you."

Mao Wenlong and Zhao Shuai returned the greeting and said with a wry smile, "If we go any slower, Zu Dashou will probably come to urge us in person."

In fact, we can't wait any longer.

Huang Degong's appearance indicates that their whereabouts have been exposed.

It's a race against time now; we must capture Hetu Ala before the defenders can react!

As the two were talking, a scout in disguise emerged from behind a tree. It was Shen Lian. He knelt on one knee and said, "Reporting to the three generals, General Zu is waiting twenty miles ahead and has specially ordered me to come and lead the way!"

Huang Degong, Mao Wenlong, and Zhao Shuaijiao exchanged glances, all seeing excitement in each other's eyes.

Huang Degong patted the wooden crate behind him and said in a deep voice, "The weapons for attacking the city have all been brought. Just give the order, that bastard Zu Dashou!"

At this moment, Zu Dashou was holding the defense map that Shen Lian had brought back.

The two thousand soldiers behind him had already rested and were ready to pounce on Hetu Ala like tigers at the appointed time.

"General, General Mao, along with the troops of Generals Zhao and Huang, have arrived," the guard reported in a low voice.

Zu Dashou looked up at the distant mountain ridge, a cold, sharp smile curving his lips.

The four thousand infantrymen led by Mao Wenlong and Zhao Shuaijiao could serve as the main force, and the siege equipment brought by Huang Degong was a timely help, in addition to the inside help of Li Yangeng and Hu Xue in the city...

With favorable timing, location, and human factors, we have all come together here.

He folded the defense map and tucked it into his robes, then drew the long sword from his waist, its blade flashing a chilling light in the sunlight.

"Pass down the order: prepare food at the second watch tomorrow, assemble at the third watch. At 3:45 AM tomorrow, follow me to capture Hetu Ala!"

Your Majesty's trust is a great honor, and the merit is enough to be conferred a title of nobility. We'll see what happens tomorrow!
Tomorrow, we will risk our lives to take Hetu Ala!
(End of this chapter)