After the coronation ceremony, the Duke of Chu knelt respectfully before Wei Tingyu in the An palace. Ren Ruyi and Princess Chuyue sat to his left and right, serving him his dinner.
"The coronation was a hassle; an entire day passed in a flash," Wei Tingyu said, looking at the Duke of Chu. "But the hard work was worth it! Today, the entire kingdom of An is under your control, Duke."
"I would not dare!" the Duke of Chu replied, prostrating himself even lower. "I am merely a temporary steward for my master! The kingdom of An can only belong to you, my master!"
The Duke used the respectful titles and etiquette for an emperor, yet he only referred to Wei Tingyu as "master," not "Your Majesty," since he had not yet taken the throne. Wei Tingyu was satisfied with the Duke's performance. He knew it was not a feigned loyalty. After witnessing the power of the two thousand Xuanjia Army soldiers and the one thousand light cavalry, and seeing Wei Tingyu's superior martial arts—how he had effortlessly killed Deng Hui, the commander of the Zhu Yiwei—the Duke of Chu knew better than to betray him.
"The Central Shazhou has been destroyed, and the Eastern Shazhou has sent their chief's eldest son to Andu to pledge his allegiance," Wei Tingyu said with a smile. "The situation in An is mostly settled. You can handle the rest. When the time comes for me to lead a great cause..."
"I will immediately lead all of An's armies to support my master's cause and help you unite the world!" the Duke of Chu quickly interjected.
"Good," Wei Tingyu nodded, pleased with the Duke's sincerity.
"Marquis! Our Western Shazhou is completely loyal to you! Please be assured," Princess Chuyue said with a sweet smile as she served him.
"I believe you," Wei Tingyu smiled back.
He was to return to Wu the next day. His plan was to seize control of the military and political power in both An and Wu, and place people he trusted in charge. When he began his campaign in the Central Plains, both An and Wu could support him with their full military might. This would ensure a swift victory and minimize the destruction caused by war. An was now under his control, so Wu was next. He knew Wu was in chaos, just waiting for him to return and take charge.
There were two brief side notes to the An situation. The first was the Second Prince, who had been exiled to Tianguan Pass by the An Emperor, Li Shun. Upon hearing of the Andu coup and his younger brother's enthronement under the Duke of Chu's patronage, he fled to Beipan. He was quick to realize his life was in danger in An, and Beipan was his only hope. However, the An and Beipan had a deep, mutual hatred. Beipan knew the Second Prince was a political liability, not a bargaining chip, and his existence would only strengthen An's resolve. So, the Beipan chief beheaded the Second Prince and sent his head to Andu as a sign of goodwill. The Beipan had heard about the Andu coup and were wary of the An kingdom's new, powerful Xuanjia Army, which had annihilated the mighty Central Shazhou forces. They abandoned any plans of southward raids.
The second note was about Ren Ruyi's mad apprentice, Li Tongguang. He received news of the Andu coup on the same day. When he arrived with the Imperial Forest Guard, he found only a chaotic battlefield. The Golden Shadow Guards, leading the Xuanjia Army, stripped him of his military command. Li Tongguang offered no resistance. He knew he was defeated and, abandoning his ambition, quietly submitted. He later drank poison and took his own life in the mansion where he was held captive. Ren Ruyi only sighed upon hearing the news. He was her student, but in the end, he followed his uncle, the An Emperor, to a bitter end. Wei Tingyu couldn't help but wonder if the An royal family's bloodline carried a genetic trait for madness. The number of mentally unstable individuals in one family was alarmingly high. This might explain the extreme cruelty with which the Li clan wielded the Zhu Yiwei.
Since the coup in Andu, the city had been on lockdown, with entry permitted but exit forbidden. The news of the Wu Emperor's death was therefore suppressed for over ten days. When the news finally reached the capital of Wu, chaos erupted.
"Your Highness!" Inside the residence of the King of Danyang, Yang Xingjian, the acting regent of Wu, was fully dressed and preparing to leave for the military camp outside the capital. His attendants were alarmed, for they knew not what was happening.
"I once wished to prevent my brother's return," Yang Xingjian said, nodding to his attendants as he strode out the door. "But since my private army was wiped out, I gave up the desire to become emperor. Now, my brother has died. A country cannot be without a ruler. The ministers will want to enthrone a new emperor. That old fox, Zhang Song, wants to control the government and will not let me ascend the throne easily. He will likely frame me for the murder of the late Emperor. So I must act first, or I'll have no way to defend myself."
The King of Danyang was in a hurry to reach the military camp. He was still the acting regent and could use his remaining power to rally his loyal troops. With his brother gone, factions had to choose between him and Zhang Song, and the army was no exception. Time was of the essence. However, the King of Danyang was still unsure what had happened to the Wu Emperor. He had wanted him dead, but he hadn't arranged this. If his men had such capabilities, he wouldn't have waited this long.
When the King of Danyang's gates opened, he was frozen. His entire residence was surrounded by soldiers. His men drew their swords, ready to fight.
"Zhang Song!" the King of Danyang scowled, his gaze fixed on the man at the front of the gates. It was none other than the Prime Minister he had worried about.
"King of Danyang! As acting regent, you dare to rebel!" Zhang Song sneered. "You conspired to murder the late Emperor! Your crime is unforgivable! I have been entrusted by the late Emperor to serve as regent, and I will not allow a treacherous minister like you to live!"
"Attack!" Zhang Song, having seized the moral high ground, waved his hand and ordered his soldiers. The soldiers charged into the residence without hesitation, clashing with the King of Danyang's men.
"Don't blame me for being ruthless," Zhang Song muttered to himself with a cold smile as the King of Danyang's men began to lose ground. "When has a change of emperors not resulted in the deaths of a few ministers and princes? The King of Danyang and I have been at odds politically for some time. Do you think he would spare me if he became emperor?" Zhang Song's words were meant for his subordinates, who had been hesitant because of the King of Danyang's status as regent. Now, their eyes hardened. The principle of 'when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken' was a well-known one. If Zhang Song fell, their fates would be sealed as well.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As Zhang Song was basking in his victory, the sudden sound of heavy bells echoed from a distance. The smiles on his face and those of his followers froze.
"The Jingyang Bell?" Zhang Song was taken aback. He turned and saw a group of people escorting a luxurious royal carriage, which stopped nearby. Empress Xiao Yan stepped out, accompanied by two female Golden Shadow Guards disguised as palace maids. Another carriage followed, from which the King of Ying, the disabled prince who had fainted after being rejected as the Wu Emperor's escort, emerged.
"Your Majesty the Empress! Your Highness the King of Ying!" Zhang Song's brows furrowed, but he bowed respectfully to them.
"Order your men to stop!" Xiao Yan stretched her neck to look into the King of Danyang's residence. The courtyard was littered with dead and wounded. "How can a mere minister decide such a grave matter as the Emperor's death?"
"I cannot obey!" Zhang Song replied, sneering and widening his eyes. "Empress, this is no time for a soft heart!" His words were a clear threat, letting her know he was in control. The King of Ying, standing beside Xiao Yan, simply frowned, not daring to speak.
"I agree," Xiao Yan said calmly, a faint smile on her beautiful, simply dressed face. She nodded to one of the palace maids, who clapped her hands. Another carriage pulled up. The curtain was drawn back, and Zhang Song's confident expression turned to one of utter shock. Inside the carriage sat his most beloved wife and his favorite fifth son. Zhang Song had been consumed by politics in his youth and had no interest in romance. He had only married this beloved wife in his later years, and she had given him his smart and cherished fifth son. Now, they were being held hostage by Xiao Yan.
Zhang Song was shocked and incredulous. He had expected his political rivals to take his family hostage, so he had left his residence heavily guarded. But Xiao Yan was a woman of the inner palace, a mere Empress with no military power. He had never considered this possibility.
Xiao Yan smiled at his expression. It was true she had no army, except for her few guards. But Wei Tingyu had left two female Golden Shadow Guards to protect her before he left for An. Zhang Song's heavily guarded residence was no match for them; even the commander was defeated in a single move.
"Yan'er! My Little Fifth!" Zhang Song's lips trembled as he called out to his wife and son. Xiao Yan then spoke again, "Prime Minister, your other wives and sons are also 'guests' in the palace."
Zhang Song's eyes blazed with fury. His entire family was in her hands. If he didn't obey her, he would be left without an heir.
"Good! Very good!" Zhang Song blinked, then gave a self-deprecating laugh. He finally realized he had underestimated Xiao Yan. "Tell them to stop!" he commanded his subordinates, shooting a cold glare at Xiao Yan. The fighting in the King of Danyang's residence immediately ceased.
Xiao Yan, the King of Ying, and the two female Golden Shadow Guards walked into the residence. The King of Danyang, who had been confused by the sudden stop of the fighting, was stunned to see them. He was wary of Xiao Yan's intentions.
"Brother!" the King of Ying said, hurrying over on his crutches with a fawning smile. "When I heard the news, I immediately went to the palace to ask our sister-in-law to take charge!" The King of Danyang's expression softened. He trusted his disabled brother.
"The late Emperor has died, and yet you, a prince and a prime minister, are fighting instead of mourning!" Xiao Yan said, frowning at the King of Danyang. "Do you not think Wu has enough chaos already?"
"Your uncle, the Marquis of Yongping, is also in my hands," Xiao Yan said, seeing the King of Danyang's impassive face. "I had to." The King of Danyang's face finally showed a flicker of worry. The Marquis of Yongping was his beloved uncle. Zhang Song was dumbfounded. Xiao Yan not only had his family, but also the King of Danyang's. A sense of foreboding washed over him. He realized Xiao Yan's depth was far beyond his imagination. Perhaps she was the one pulling all the strings behind the scenes.
"Empress! What are you planning? Please be direct!" Zhang Song demanded.
"You two are fighting over the throne, aren't you?" Xiao Yan sneered. "As Empress, I will represent the late Emperor and summon all the ministers to court. You will settle your dispute in front of them!" With a flick of her sleeve, she walked out, shouting, "Change into mourning clothes and follow me to court!" The Jingyang Bell had sounded, and all the Wu officials would gather at court. The King of Danyang and Zhang Song exchanged glances and had no choice but to obey.
"We welcome Your Majesty the Empress!" The ministers, who had been waiting for a long time, bowed as Xiao Yan, dressed in mourning, entered the hall with the King of Ying, the King of Danyang, and Zhang Song.
Xiao Yan walked to the throne and, without turning, said, "All you ministers! I have summoned you for one thing! The Emperor has died in An!"
Most of the ministers were hearing this news for the first time, and their shock was palpable. Wu had paid a heavy price to gather the ten thousand carts of gold, but it had all been for this news. However, the ministers' shock was not accompanied by much sorrow or anger. The Wu Emperor's fate was, in a way, his own doing. He had ignored the advice of his ministers, insisted on leading the army, lost the battle, and then chose to live as a hostage, which had led to the kingdom being extorted by An. His death was a relief to many, as they could now simply install a new emperor. Of course, they had to put on a show. The ministers began to wail and cry, but not a single tear was shed. Some even struggled to suppress their smiles. To hide their true feelings, they cried and wailed even more loudly.