Xie Ming

Torches lit up the forest in the cold night, while iron gleams illuminated the armored mountains.

A thousand boots shattered the moonlight beneath the eaves, ten thousand blades sealed the outer gate of the mansion.

The breath is heard, the wind is still; the bowstring is secretly drawn, the fingers are still bent.

The silent pressure threatened to crush the mansion, awaiting only Mei Lang's command to lift it.

At 11:45 AM, outside the main gate of the Xiao residence.

The biting wind of the cold night was not enough; one, two, and several hundred soldiers stood in solemn formation.

Holding torches, their light illuminated the night, making half the street seem like daytime.

The cool night breeze couldn't get in; the air in front of the mansion was scorching hot.

The heat remained trapped in one place, unable to dissipate.

The Imperial Guard soldiers surrounded the area in layers, their armor a cold, dark blue-green.

With shields in front and spears behind, they pressed and jabbed, forming an impenetrable wall of iron.

The atmosphere was tense, with the flames crackling and popping, making everyone restless.

"Commander Mei, why haven't you taken action yet?"

"It's long past the appointed time. If you ruin tonight's plans, you'll still be in deep trouble."

Liao Geng, an imperial censor of the Censorate, was a man who plotted against others.

Hearing the sounds of the deadly soldiers fighting inside the mansion gradually subside, he became extremely agitated and paced back and forth impatiently.

On the contrary, before the soldiers, the commander Mei Cheng'an sat upright on his horse, saying nothing and making no move.

Seeing that he remained aloof and unmoved, Liao Geng became impatient and unwilling to wait any longer. He rushed to the front of the horse, grabbed the reins, and hurriedly recited the sentence, his face flushed red.

However, it is obvious that Mei Cheng'an has his own calculations and a different theory.

"Imperial Censor Liao, I am a captain in the Imperial Guards, guarding Hangzhou City, and I am directly under the command of Commander-in-Chief Qin Dutang."

"Tonight, it's just routine work: patrolling the streets and enforcing martial law as ordered to prevent petty thieves from causing trouble during the Lunar New Year."

"I happened to be at the Duke's residence and noticed something unusual, so I came to investigate."

Mei Cheng'an, though seemingly respectable, was actually trying to clear his name, but in reality, he was unwilling to get too involved with Liao Yiwu, hence his words.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the words left his mouth, Liao instantly flew into a rage.

"fart!"

"You brought all these soldiers here, just to set up patrols and impose martial law?!"

"Mei Cheng'an, we made this arrangement before we came."

Why go back on your word at such a critical juncture?

"Are all the soldiers under your command good-for-nothings, carrying nothing but fancy but useless spearheads?"

Liao was extremely anxious, his situation was dire, so he no longer cared about his manners and started cursing, trying to find a way to provoke him.

"discuss?"

"Hmph!" He scoffed dismissively.

"It's a good thing you, Imperial Censor Liao, still remember that we discussed this."

"When did I, Mei, ever promise you that I would bring troops into your residence?"

Mei Cheng'an is quite something, turning the tables on everyone and trying to find a way out from the cracks. Even at this point, he still naively believes that he can maneuver himself and not get too deeply involved.

"you!"

Liao was furious at the sight of this foolish boy and was speechless for a moment.

"In the end, I am merely providing external support."

"Since Grand Secretary Li gave the order, consider it a favor to him."

"But the procedures to be followed and the rules to be followed are beyond my understanding. I'm just a common soldier who rose through the ranks in the military. What you said before was too convoluted, and I didn't understand it."

"If you insist that my Imperial Guards storm the mansion, then I will send someone to consult with Governor Qin."

“If he gives me a written order, I will not hesitate to obey.”

Mei Cheng'an was still emphasizing the idea of ​​following the rules and regulations, which was just a set of excuses.

Upon hearing this, Liao Shen sighed deeply, feeling that this young man was not worth discussing anything with.

"Mei Cheng'an, I never expected this, I never expected this."

"You little brat, how can you be so untrustworthy?"

"Oh, okay, sure."

"Trying to outsmart me, huh?"

"Look what this is."

He had to adapt to the changing circumstances, leaving Liao Geng with no room for maneuver.

As he spoke, he suppressed his anger and moved a little closer, subtly pulling a gold hairpin out from his sleeve.

Her gaze pressed down, and she steadily raised her hand to pinch Mei Qian, intending to teach him a lesson.

As soon as the object appeared before her eyes, Mei Cheng'an stared at it intently, then was immediately horrified. Her wrist, holding the reins, trembled, and she could not hide her panic.

"This, you..."

That's right, this hairpin was a personal item of Mei Cheng'an's mother.

"Mr. Liao, I had no choice but to agree to your request tonight."

"You'd better not push people too far!" After this item was sent, the situation between Mei and Liao suddenly changed.

Once seated on his horse, General Mei instantly lost his ability to argue illogically.

Seeing someone being served food, Liao Geng silently observed their every change, and that was exactly the result he wanted.

He then immediately changed his previous tone and went with the flow.

"Hey, what brings you to that, brother?"

"Your mother is doing well."

"The old man was a bodhisattva-like figure who practiced vegetarianism and did good deeds."

“I, Liao, have an elderly mother who is seventy years old.”

"I will not touch her in the slightest unless absolutely necessary."

"The move we make tonight is a matter of national dignity and is of utmost importance."

"It is our duty to execute the treacherous and corrupt official Xiao Jingchuan."

"Clearing out the court of corrupt officials and protecting the emperor is a meritorious deed."

"Brother Mei, you have always been loyal and brave. At this critical moment, you must not make a mistake and miss the opportunity."

"Know that opportunity knocks but once."

"The former assassins from the Qianfu Palace have become increasingly quiet, and no one has come out to report any victories."

"The outcome of this battle depends on your actions, brother, to determine the fate of the world."

Liao spoke earnestly, reasoning with the people and appealing to their emotions; his words were a powerful and effective remedy for the problem.

However, Mei Cheng'an, even at his worst, came from a respectable family and had seen a lot of the world.

Liao Gengshen's impatience, coupled with his threats, attempts to win over and acquire assets, and his eagerness for quick success and instant benefits, made his intentions too obvious.

To be honest, Mei felt mostly disgust and disdain.

"Ha, what merits and hardships? It's not that special."

"The truth of the matter will be judged by future generations."

"As I just said, I'm just a soldier."

"If what you are plotting is truly aboveboard, why resort to such a despicable tactic?"

"This contradicts the logic you just discussed."

Don't you find it absurd?

Mei Yan's delaying tactic was a last resort, a measure she had no other choice but to adopt, and it was neither particularly good nor bad.

"absurd?!"

"Humph!"

"It's all about the victor taking all, brother. How can you be so incredibly foolish?"

"Are our methods so despicable?"

"And what about that young man surnamed Xiao inside this mansion?"

"I, Liao, have already committed myself to this scheme. I'm not afraid of death, so what shady methods do I have to fear?"

"As long as half of my Ming Dynasty's territory can be preserved, and its origins can be traced back to their source to repay the grace of Heaven."

"Even in death, you and I will be as heavy as Mount Tai."

Liao committed the pedantic fault of scholars who debated classics, and in the case of Mei's poem, he actually managed to explain it.

Or perhaps they didn't know whether these words were meant for Mei Cheng'an or for their own hypnotic purposes.

Of course, the situation is urgent and a crisis is imminent.

When Liao Gengshen found his words tedious, he didn't linger and turned back to Liao Gengshen.

"Brother Mei, it's too late, time waits for no one."

"If the guards at the front of the Xiao residence had acted earlier, by now, the assassins inside would likely have been wiped out and would have been rendered ineffective."

"Give the enemy time to prepare calmly. If a fight breaks out later, your soldiers will likely suffer even greater casualties."

"If the situation were to collapse, we would both perish without a burial place."

Liao urged him again.

Seeing this, Mei Cheng'an hesitated and wavered, gripping the reins even tighter, looking extremely uncomfortable.

Seeing how incompetent he was, Liao could no longer wait.

“Mei Cheng’an, if you don’t move, don’t blame your brother for being ruthless and disrespectful.”

As they were talking, suddenly, Liao Geng, with his sharp eyes, drew Mei Qianzong's sword from its sheath at his waist.

"you"

Mei Cheng'an was greatly alarmed upon seeing this.

"If you're afraid of death, after you've finished suppressing the enemy, I, Liao, will lead the team to storm the gate."

"Although I am a Confucian scholar, I am concerned about the fate of the Ming Dynasty. Now that we have reached this critical juncture, I do not intend to return alive."

"Commander Mei, watch closely! Beneath this scholar's robe lies a man of unyielding integrity!"

Liao Gengshen resolutely declared his intention to mobilize troops, and the momentum for storming the mansion was about to erupt. (End of this chapter)