Tan Hua - Chapter 108: Emperor Yu

Chapter 108: Emperor Yu

Two days later, on the city wall of Loulan, Crown Prince Xiao stood with his hands behind his back. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked on the verge of madness.

The water-dripping timekeeper struck.

“Kill.”

With a soft command from Crown Prince Xiao, a man from the Central Plains was pushed off the city wall, his body smashing into a bloody pulp. Crown Prince Xiao did not blink once throughout.

From a corner of the city wall, Su Zhao watched Crown Prince Xiao’s killing spree from afar. He stood there for an hour before walking over.

“Your Highness… Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“Hmm?”

Crown Prince Xiao gave him a sidelong glance.

Su Zhao looked at the densely packed Jing Kingdom Northwest Army three miles away and said, “The Northwest Army has overwhelming numbers. Even if we’ve taken Loulan City, we cannot hold it… Your Highness, you don’t need to defend it to the death. There’s a saying in the Central Plains: ‘As long as the green hills remain, there’s hope for revival.’ If you retreat now, you can still rise again one day. But only if you… abandon the city.”

Crown Prince Xiao’s sharp gaze swept over him, and Su Zhao lowered his head submissively.

“Abandon the city? You’re telling me to abandon the city? Ha, do you think this Crown Prince would ever fear that dog King?” Crown Prince Xiao glared and said, “I’ve waited decades for the throne! I won’t wait a day longer!”

Su Zhao tried to persuade him further, “Your Highness, you still have a way out now. But once the Northwest Army begins their assault, there will be no chance left!”

“Traitor!”

Crown Prince Xiao slapped him hard. Su Zhao fell to the ground, his lips cracked and bleeding.

Crown Prince Xiao grabbed his jaw and snarled viciously, “Don’t think I don’t know your calculations. You’re afraid your men will all die, aren’t you? Let me tell you, you’d better give it your all and capture Jun Qiyu as a hostage. Then we’ll all be happy! Otherwise, when the Northwest Army attacks, I’ll have your men take the lead!”

Su Zhao’s eyes glistened with tears of pain. He didn’t dare to resist.

Crown Prince Xiao was short on troops, even forcing able-bodied men in the city into battle. Su Zhao’s men had also been assigned to the defense, destined to become cannon fodder under the Northwest Army’s iron cavalry.

“I… I will do my utmost to serve Your Highness.”

Su Zhao knelt and pledged his loyalty. Only then did Crown Prince Xiao release him and sit in a cushioned chair.

“Massage my feet,” Crown Prince Xiao ordered coldly.

Su Zhao crawled over on his knees and began kneading Crown Prince Xiao’s legs. The Crown Prince closed his eyes in satisfaction.

“You do have some skill in servitude. Otherwise, I’d have killed you already,” Crown Prince Xiao lectured. “As long as you serve well, once I ascend the throne, I might grant you the title of eunuch chief. You’ll make a fine castrated dog at my side.”

“Your Highness!” A subordinate came up the city wall to report.

“What is it?”

“Jun Qiyu has agreed to enter the city to witness your enthronement ceremony.”

Crown Prince Xiao’s eyes lit up, his excitement palpable. “What? He agreed?”

“Yes, he’s already at the city gates.”

Crown Prince Xiao scrambled to his feet and looked down. Sure enough, Jun Qiyu and Song Liqing were on horseback at the gate, unaccompanied by any guards.

“Xiao, I’m here already. Hurry and open the gate to welcome your guest!” Jun Qiyu shouted from below.

The sight of just the two of them entering made Crown Prince Xiao hesitate. Could Jun Qiyu have set a trap? Or was he so confident in his martial prowess that he believed he could escape with Song Liqing?

Crown Prince Xiao couldn’t care less. A hostage delivered to his doorstep couldn’t be refused!

“Open the gates!”

His voice trembled with excitement as he ordered, “Quick! Prepare the music, get ready for the enthronement ceremony! Gather all the citizens outside the palace gates! And my dragon robe! I must change into my dragon robe! Haha…”

With a screeching sound, the gates of Loulan slowly opened, wide enough for only one horse to pass through.

Song Liqing was drawn to the disarray of corpses below the city walls. In the past two days, Crown Prince Xiao had killed dozens of civilians, leaving their bodies unburied. Some were beginning to rot, and blood stained the ground and the bricks.

“Liqing,” Jun Qiyu called softly.

Song Liqing turned away, unwilling to look any longer.

“Hmm?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Hmm.”

Trust or not, Jun Qiyu always had an air of reliability, as if he could accomplish anything. With him, Song Liqing no longer feared anything.

Jun Qiyu lightly nudged his horse forward, and the two of them entered Loulan City. The gates shut behind them.

Inside, they were met with dozens of spears, and a crowd of soldiers surrounded them.

Jun Qiyu chuckled. “Is this how your Crown Prince treats his honored guests?”

“Dismount!” a guard commander barked.

Jun Qiyu jumped down first and then helped Song Liqing dismount.

“Follow me.”

Seeing him comply, the guard commander eased his vigilance slightly.

Loulan City was still Loulan City, but the streets were deserted. It wasn’t until they reached the palace gates that Song Liqing saw where the citizens had gone. They were gathered there, blocking the area completely.

Many were clearly unwilling, driven there by whips. Those who resisted were beaten until they complied.

“Where is Crown Prince Xiao?” Jun Qiyu asked the escort.

“Wait here!”

Jun Qiyu seemed happy to wait. He glanced around. The square had been carefully arranged, with an altar built high and Xiao family banners everywhere. Crown Prince Xiao had even found some people dressed in the previous dynasty’s official uniforms, playing the roles of civil and military officials.

At the center of the square stood the Nine-Dragon Throne.

They didn’t have to wait long.

“Kneel and welcome Emperor Yu!”

A man in eunuch robes screeched, his sharp voice grating. Jun Qiyu couldn’t tell if he was a real eunuch or just pretending.

“Emperor Yu?” Song Liqing muttered. “Does he really think he’s a god?”

Jun Qiyu burst out laughing. “No, it’s Emperor Yu, Xiao Yu. Hmm… that name sounds familiar.”

“Kneel!”

Those who understood the order knelt down immediately. Many of the Loulan people, not comprehending, were whipped or kicked into submission. The Xiao army didn’t care whether the submission was willing or forced—prostrate bodies were all they needed.

The palace gates opened. It was Crown Prince Xiao—or rather, Xiao Yu—dressed in the imperial five-clawed golden dragon robe of the previous dynasty. Now self-proclaimed Emperor Yu.

Joy seemed to invigorate Xiao Yu. His face, usually sinister, now looked almost rosy with excitement.

“Kneel! All of you, kneel!”

The Xiao army struggled to maintain order amidst the crowd. Xiao Yu gazed at the mass of kneeling figures, his face plastered with a smile that never faded. Straightening his robes and adjusting the imperial crown, he strode forward, his performance more convincing than any actor.

Author’s Note:

Second update.