Yan Zhuang said coldly, "Fear not! The Emperor's days are numbered—let us simply hasten his end."Li Zhu'er nodded. Together they entered An Lushan's bedchamber, while An Qingxu remained outside the door. As the two pushed it open and stepped within, the door was shut behind them—An Qingxu had sealed it from outside.
An Lushan had long since retired, his snores like thunder. Yan Zhuang and Li Zhu'er drew aside the door curtain and walked in. Lifting the bed drape, Li Zhu'er startled as An Lushan suddenly turned over and muttered, "Zhu'er, is that you?"
Li Zhu'er gave no reply. An Lushan's temper flared: "Zhu'er, is that you?"Li Zhu'er thought grimly: Heaven has eyes. He may have made himself Emperor, but he is a blind Emperor now—this is his retribution. And a blind emperor is not so frightening after all.
With a sudden sweep, Li Zhu'er raised the broadsword and slashed into An Lushan's swollen belly. An Lushan shrieked in agony. Blind and helpless, he groped instinctively for the sword he always kept at the bed's head, but the blow had come too fast—he could not rise. The blade had already been taken by Li Zhu'er. In desperation he clawed at the bedding for another hidden knife, but it was gone as well. Grasping the drape, he roared: "This traitor is my own household thief!"
He knew it was Li Zhu'er—no one else lay so close to him.But Li Zhu'er, choking on years of hatred, spat back: "You're the pig—fatter than a pig, more stupid than a pig!"
As An Lushan howled, Li Zhu'er hacked madly again and again. Blood and entrails poured from the gaping wound. At last the shrieks ceased, and An Lushan lay dead. That night, Li Zhu'er had finally exacted his revenge.
A quatrain records the deed:
Zhu'er's heart with hatred seethes.On this cold winter night.Thunder falls within the drapes—Who foresaw such doom in sight?
On the eaves of the Hall of Eternal Life, Wu Tong and Li Qian beheld the entire scene through the gaps in the tiles. In that snowy midnight, the screams that tore the heavens made their very hair stand on end. Yan Zhuang, brimming with resentment, spat on the corpse. "So, you meet your end at last!"
Li Zhu'er wrapped An Lushan's body in woolen cloth. Yan Zhuang shouted, "Come in!" Four soldiers entered at once. Together they dug a deep pit beneath the bed, several feet down, and buried the corpse in blankets there. By then, maids and eunuchs had rushed over, alarmed by the commotion. Yan Zhuang pointed a sword at them and barked: "Not a word! Any who speak will see their entire families put to death!" Terrified, the servants answered, "Yes!" Yan Zhuang waved: "Go!" They withdrew in silence.
Soon Yan Zhuang, Li Zhu'er, and the others left the chamber. Outside, they met An Qingxu. Yan Zhuang proclaimed loudly: "Your Majesty, the late Emperor has passed away. The edict bequeaths the throne to Prince Jin, An Qingxu."An Qingxu nodded: "The great matter is accomplished. Rewards shall be granted according to merit."
Suddenly Li Zhu'er fell to his knees and would not rise. "Your Majesty, I beg leave to return to the steppes at once! Grant me this boon, that I may live."
An Qingxu thought: None in court yet know of this night. The man's lot is pitiable; better to spare him for now. He said, "Zhu'er, the great deed is done. I grant your request."
Li Zhu'er, ever cunning, knew he had long suffered the Emperor's blows, and hatred had festered deep. Now, having struck the fatal blow, he also knew that should he linger, An Qingxu might one day regret his mercy. A son who dared kill his own father—how black must be his heart? Better to escape while he could. He bowed deeply: "Your Majesty's humble eunuch, Li Zhu'er, thanks the Son of Heaven—ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"
An Qingxu, delighted, nodded: "Then pack your things and be off at dawn."Li Zhu'er kowtowed again. "Thank you, Your Majesty." He rose, retreating slowly, step by step.
Once he was gone, Yan Zhuang turned and whispered: "Your Majesty, such a man must not be left alive!"An Qingxu nodded grimly: "Brother, your words are true. It shall be as you say."
Thus, though they had conspired together this night, Yan Zhuang and An Qingxu never intended to let Li Zhu'er live to tell the tale. His fate was sealed.
From the rooftops, Wu Tong and Li Qian had borne witness to all. Their long vigil in the winter night had yielded vital intelligence. Stealthily they slipped across the eaves, crouched low across the palace halls, and made their way out. Passing the Golden Luan Hall, they seized a moment when the patrol departed, and vanished beyond the walls. None in the sleeping city of Luoyang knew that a shocking parricidal coup had just occurred—an emperor slain by his son's hand.
By the time Wu Tong and Li Qian returned to their inn, it was already the hour of the Tiger. Exhausted, they collapsed into bed. When they awoke, it was mid-morning. Zhao Rou and Liu Yun, not wishing to disturb them, had already wandered the streets and now returned. Wu Tong and Li Qian had just finished their breakfast when Zhao Rou entered.
"This morning the palace bells and drums sounded in unison," she said, "as if some great event had occurred. After court was dismissed, news spread—the edict was read aloud: An Lushan has passed the throne to Prince Jin, An Qingxu, and has himself been styled the Retired Emperor."
Wu Tong sighed. "Yan Zhuang is meticulous. I fear no one will ever know how An Lushan truly died."Liu Yun exclaimed, "An Lushan—!" Li Qian quickly covered her mouth. "Not so loud!"Zhao Rou whispered: "Could it be that An Lushan met with foul play?"Wu Tong sighed again: "Patricide and usurpation—an act against Heaven!"Li Qian said softly: "Last night, Yan Zhuang, An Qingxu, and the eunuch Li Zhu'er joined hands to slay him."Liu Yun added: "The townsfolk say Prince Jin has been enthroned, and today the palace holds a great banquet for all officials."Zhao Rou spat: "A nest of snakes and rats, all alike!"Wu Tong said firmly: "While they are lost in feasting, let us be on our way."
Thus the company packed swiftly and left the inn.
As they made their way through Luoyang's streets, a familiar company approached from the other direction. Wu Tong muttered quickly: "Stay low—let not the Heilong Sect discover us."
At the head strode the Heilong Sect Master, Murong Gui, with full retinue swaggering. The Western Heavenly King Xiao Cheng said loudly: "To be invited by the Emperor himself—what an honor for our sect!"Jia Yong replied: "Indeed! It is all due to Master Murong's leadership and his service in crushing the righteous army!"Murong Gui gave a cold snort: "Jia Yong, silence! Have you been whoring and drinking in the taverns again?"Jia Yong protested: "Since the Xu Province gathering, I have not once gone carousing."But the Right Dharma King, Shi Kai, sneered: "Lies! Only a few days ago, I saw you at the Drunken Flower House, reveling."Murong Gui's face hardened. "Jia Yong—you never change. Mark my words, you will soon pay the price. Were it not for pressing matters today, I would deal with you here and now!"