The Duke of Chengguo defied an imperial decree; at the outset, the emperor commanded the northern lands' soldiers to return for defense, but the Duke refused.
However, this cannot be entirely considered defiance, as it could be viewed as a tactical decision measuring battlefield circumstances, implying that a general in the field might not follow the emperor's orders directly.
Moreover, later on, the Duke of Chengguo still complied with the royal command and returned to the capital from the northern lands.
The first emperor once remarked that the Duke of Chengguo was a person of loyalty and bravery, with 'loyalty' taking precedence. He was the invincible hero who fought the enemies and served the country, a great hero and loyal minister in the eyes of the people.
"What crime have they accused me of?" inquired the Duke of Chengguo.
"Treason," said the general solemnly.
Zhu Zan laughed heartily, as if he had heard the most ridiculous thing in the world.
"Treason," he said, "Treason!"
He said nothing else, only repeated those two words. The Duke of Chengguo also remained silent, merely gazing at the general with a gentle expression, showing not a hint of anger.
Yet the general could not help but avert his gaze.
"Is there any evidence?" the Duke of Chengguo asked softly.
The general's gaze wavered slightly.
"Probably," he replied.
Zhu Zan urged his horse forward a step.
"Probably?" he said with raised eyebrows, "Do you know to whom you are uttering those three words?"
He reached out to pull open his robe, revealing his muscular torso covered with scars from knives and arrows on both front and back.
"We battled fiercely for a dozen years, leaving these scars all over, and with just those three nonchalant words, you're bringing charges against us? How can you even say it aloud?"
The general's face remained stern, though it also burned with heat, unable to look at Zhu Zan.
"That's why," his tone softened somewhat, "His Majesty wants you, Duke, to return to the capital, to investigate thoroughly and clear your names."
Zhu Zan sneered as though about to retort, but the Duke of Chengguo called out to him.
"Enough, Zan'er, don't say more," he said.
Zhu Zan turned with some anxiety.
"Father," he exclaimed, "are we just going back like this?"
The Duke of Chengguo smiled slightly.
"Of course not," he replied.
Of course... not?
The general was stunned for a moment, did he mishear?
But the next moment he saw the Duke of Chengguo draw a long knife from the carriage.
He was very familiar with this knife, just as the world was familiar with the Duke of Chengguo, it was the long knife the Duke never parted with, which had slain countless Jurchen people.
"This knife is not meant to be used against our own," said the Duke of Chengguo, suddenly reversing the blade and holding the knife's hilt outward, looking warmly toward the general.
The general's face stiffened and gradually turned pale.
"Your Grace, what, what do you mean by this?" he stammered.
"It means, I will not return, I am leaving," said the Duke, offering him a gentle smile, and as his words fell, the knife's hilt slapped the front horse's rump.
The horse neighed loudly, as the coachman also threw aside the long reins he held and gripped the bridle tight.
"Giddy-up," he shouted.
The horse dashed forward like an arrow released from a bowstring.
The general felt a chill all over.
"Catch him!" he shouted, drawing his waist knife, charging first toward the Duke's horse and carriage.
With a bang, the knife in Zhu Zan's hand knocked the general's knife flying.
The sheer impact sent the general tumbling off the horse's back.
Chaotic shouts and yells erupted all around, nearly a hundred soldiers surrounded the Duke's carriage.
Long spears thrust like a forest toward the Duke.
The Duke of Chengguo remained calm in front of the carriage, brandishing the hilt of his sword.
With a series of clattering sounds, the nearby long spears were swept away, and the soldiers on horseback toppled down.
As the spears fell, the hilt of the sword retracted, not touching their bodies in the slightest.
Using the hilt in confrontation, only knocking away their weapons, exerting just enough force without harming the soldiers in the slightest.
The general on the ground almost seemed ready to cry.
Your Grace, if you intend to defy orders, then be firm, why make it so hard for them?
The soldiers evidently had the same thought, even more so than the general.
To them, the Duke of Chengguo was like a god, someone they revered and adored, helplessly compelled by orders to pursue, and now seeing the Duke using the hilt in confrontation, not harming them, their minds instantly crumbled.
Defeated soldiers still on the ground, those behind them retreated with a clatter, their spears pointed down.
Zhu Zan led the charge, as the Duke's carriage sped forward, breaking through the soldiers' encirclement.
"Damn it, what are you doing!" an official from the Ministry of Justice who had been hiding at the back snapped awake, shouting angrily on horseback, "We cannot let the imperial criminal escape!"
He urged his horse forward, watching a carriage and a horse speeding into the distance.
The Duke of Chengguo traveled lightly, low-key departure from the capital, with only his family of three, and beyond the coachman, no other followers.
This was all previously checked, so he had assembled a hundred men, believing them enough to escort the family of three back.
Unexpectedly, the Duke dared to defy the decree.
Since he defied the decree...
The official's eyes narrowed, glinting with cold light.
"Bowmen," he shouted, "The Duke of Chengguo is fleeing in fear of his crimes, kill without mercy."
The general and soldiers were startled, standing still in shock.
"Are you defying orders as well?" the official shouted in anger, looking coldly at the soldiers, "Don't forget, you are government soldiers of the great Zhou, to whom do you ultimately owe obedience?"
The land under heaven belongs to the emperor, at every shore rests a servant of the emperor.
The general gritted his teeth and raised his hand.
"Bowmen," he commanded.
The soldiers uniformly raised their crossbows, aiming at the fleeing carriage and horse.
"Release the arrows," shouted the general, closing his eyes, unable to watch.
A resonating hum filled the air, feathered arrows rained down upon the Duke's carriage and horse.
The horse neighed, Zhu Zan's horse caught an arrow and fell but Zhu Zan did not fall with it, leaping onto the carriage.
The draft horse also fell with arrows, but the carriage did not overturn or break apart.
The seemingly ordinary carriage instantly expanded its panels like wings, producing continuous clinking sounds as arrows struck and then fell away.
The official and general across were astounded, this carriage was armored with boards!
The Duke of Chengguo was indeed not meekly stepping down and returning to his hometown, not a guilty conscience, why armor the carriage, what precautions had he taken!
The official immediately grew furious.
Even with armor blocking the arrows, without the carriage and horse, a family of three couldn't escape with wings!
"Capture them," he commanded.
Raising their crossbows, the soldiers urged their horses toward the Duke of Chengguo.
The ground began to tremble.
Something isn't right.
The general looked down at the ground beneath him, quickly turning to look back, instantly paling.
A group of people and horses had appeared behind them, dressed plainly though wielding bows and long knives.
Not just behind, others noticed too, looking around in astonishment.
As if emerging from the ground, several hundreds surrounded them from all sides.
They remained silent, with stern expressions, their hooves pounding in unison, bowstrings in hand gleaming coldly, surrounding the soldiers.
They needed not speak, as the soldiers aimed at the Duke's carriage, halted their advance.
"Who, who are you people?" the official asked, face turning pale.
No one answered him, for there was no need for an answer.
The Duke of Chengguo had already stepped out of the carriage, Zhu Zan supporting Madam Yu, they were ushered to three horses brought over.
Disbanded guards, no private soldiers, deception! Shameless! The official's whole body trembled, his face turning red then white.
"Duke of Chengguo."
Watching as the Duke and his family mounted their horses, the official could no longer restrain himself and called out.
"Do you realize what your departure means?"
The Duke of Chengguo looked back at him.
Departing would mean fleeing in fear of crime, branding the treason charge as true, renown lost, scorned by the people, a dozen years of battle achievements rendered null.
The official stepped forward, face pale, yet earnest in expression.
"Duke of Chengguo, if you're truly honest and selfless, please return to proclaim your innocence," he said trembling, "Why become a traitor!"
The Duke of Chengguo smiled gently, flipping the long knife in his hand to his back, without a word urged his horse forward.
Madam Yu, evidently skilled in riding, stayed close behind.
Zhu Zan spat in the direction and hurled his knife at the official.
"To hell with you," he shouted, turning and speeding away.
Despite the distance, the knife flew like an arrow, causing the official to instinctively cry out and retreat.
Half of the knife landed diagonally, embedding in the ground a few steps ahead, kicking up dust as it sunk in.
...
...
"Rebellion!"
With a slap, the emperor smashed a teacup onto the floor, angrily waving his hands and shouting.
"He rebelled!"