Chapter 16: On the Brink of Disaster
He turned around, facing the retainers gathered beneath the gatehouse, his voice rising with resolve. “The Prince’s Mansion is on the brink of collapse! But as long as we stand united, we will hold our ground! From this moment forward, anyone who dares to sow discord or spread rumors will be executed without mercy!”
“By the heir’s command!” the remaining retainers answered in unison. Their voices carried the relief of having survived a disaster, yet beneath it lay a fierce, desperate determination born of being backed into a corner.
At that moment, the assault by the ghost-masked soldiers outside suddenly intensified. Loud thunderous crashes were punctuated by screams!
“Your Highness! Trouble! They’re… they’re using a battering ram! They’re smashing the gates with a battering ram!” one retainer scrambled up from beneath the gatehouse, his face pale with horror.
“A battering ram?” Xiao Zhan’s pupils constricted sharply as he hurried to the arrow slit and peered down.
Sure enough, dozens of ghost-masked soldiers hoisted a crude battering ram made from a massive timber. Protected by their comrades’ arrows, they relentlessly pounded the timeworn vermilion doors of the Prince’s Mansion again and again.
Each strike sent tremors through the gatehouse. Fine cracks spiderwebbed across the wooden panels, splinters flying. The doors were on the verge of giving way.
“AK! Take out those carrying the ram!” Xiao Zhan barked, swiftly raising his AK-47, aiming at the frenzied ghost-masked soldiers below.
“Rat-a-tat-tat!”
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
From the gatehouse, a volley of AK-47s and Desert Eagles unleashed fire.
Bullets rained down relentlessly. The front line of ram-bearers collapsed, the battering ram crashing heavily to the ground.
Yet the ghost-masked soldiers behind them showed no fear. They swiftly replaced their fallen comrades, hoisting the ram again and resuming their savage assault.
“Grenades! Blow them apart!” Xiao Zhan roared, pulling two black iron grenades from his belt, pulling the pins, and hurling them with all his strength.
“Boom! Boom!”
Explosions blossomed among the enemy ranks, flames swirling with shattered limbs and debris. The battering ram was blasted aside once more.
The ghost-masked assault stalled abruptly.
“Reload! Quick!” Xiao Zhan seized the moment to shout.
The retainers scrambled to change magazines, sweat beading on every forehead.
Qin Cang stood not far behind Xiao Zhan, shaken by the terrifying power of these “Thunder Cannons.” Had he not witnessed it firsthand, he would never have believed such a weapon existed.
“Xiao heir, how long can those ‘Thunder Cannons’ keep firing?” Qin Cang finally asked.
Without turning, Xiao Zhan replied, “Use them sparingly. They’ll hold for a while longer. What, General Qin, are you scared?”
Qin Cang snorted coldly, “I simply don’t want to die alongside you here.”
Before the words faded, the ghost-masked soldiers outside regrouped and launched a new assault.
This time, they had learned to shield themselves with makeshift wooden planks held over their heads, braving the hail of bullets as they raised the battering ram once more.
“Damn it, they never stop!” one retainer cursed, squeezing the trigger fiercely.
Bullets thudded against the wooden shields with muffled pops, penetrating but with greatly diminished lethality.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The great doors groaned under the battering ram’s relentless blows. Cracks spread rapidly; the gates were about to be breached.
Inside the rear hall, Xiao Yunshang and Qiu Shuang heard the terrifying noises and clung tightly to each other, trembling.
“Brother! The door… the door is about to break!” Xiao Yunshang’s tearful voice called from below the gatehouse. Despite herself, she had come running.
“Go back!” Xiao Zhan shouted fiercely without turning.
At the critical moment, an unexpected turn of events unfolded.
The fierce ghost-masked soldiers suddenly erupted into chaos from the rear ranks, where the clash of weapons and cries of alarm broke out—they were under attack from behind!
The force pounding the gates abruptly weakened.
“Hm?” Xiao Zhan paused, quickly peering outside.
Beyond the mansion, at the far end of the street, an impeccably equipped force of roughly five hundred cavalry appeared. Their armor style was unlike those of the capital garrison, the Northern Defense Army, or the ghost-masked soldiers. Their banners bore a bold, ancient character meaning “Ink.”
The “Ink” banner cavalry charged into the ghost-masked formation from behind, leaving a trail of chaos and shattered ranks in their wake.
“What’s going on? Another faction?” the leader of Xiao Zhan’s retainers stared in disbelief.
Qin Cang furrowed his brow. He had never seen nor heard of this “Ink” banner force within the capital’s military circles.
The ghost-masked leader, caught off guard by the sudden development, abandoned the assault on the mansion gates, shouting orders to redirect his troops and confront the mysterious “Ink” cavalry.
Yet, his foot soldiers were no match for the elite horsemen, collapsing instantly under their fierce charge.
The “Ink” cavalry fought with ruthless precision, avoiding prolonged combat, instead repeatedly striking and fracturing the ghost-masked formation to sow confusion.
Soon, a middle-aged man dressed in a black Confucian robe and wearing a scholar’s headband appeared atop a horse near the mansion gates, flanked by a dozen personal guards.
His gaunt face framed by three strands of long beard radiated sharp intellect. Pulling on the reins, he spoke in a clear voice that carried across the battlefield:
“Xiao Zhan, heir to the Prince of Yan, General Qin Cang of the Longxiang Guard, are you within the mansion?”
Xiao Zhan and Qin Cang exchanged wary, puzzled glances.
Stepping forward and standing atop the gatehouse, Xiao Zhan responded gravely, “I am Xiao Zhan. Who are you? Why have you brought troops here?”
The scholar bowed slightly, hands clasped respectfully. “I am Mo Di, acting under the imperial edict of the Empress Dowager, sent to mediate the conflict between the Prince’s Mansion and the Longxiang Guard, and… to eliminate these lawless rebels.”
His riding crop casually pointed toward the ghost-masked soldiers, now being relentlessly pursued by his cavalry.
The Empress Dowager’s edict? Mo Di?
A chill ran through Xiao Zhan’s heart. Who was this figure? Since when did the Empress Dowager intervene in military affairs? And Mo Di’s approach was far from conciliatory—his so-called mediation felt more like a takeover.
Qin Cang’s expression darkened. With the Empress Dowager involved, the situation grew even more complicated.
“Mr. Mo, may I see the Empress Dowager’s edict?” Qin Cang demanded loudly, his tone sharp.
Mo Di paid no heed to Qin Cang’s attitude, replying calmly, “General Qin, the edict is confidential and cannot be shown. You only need to understand that we act under orders, and anyone who obstructs us will be charged with treason.”
He shifted his gaze to Xiao Zhan. “Heir Xiao, the leader of these rebels is about to fall, and your crisis at the Prince’s Mansion is temporarily resolved.”
Xiao Zhan noted how ruthlessly the “Ink” cavalry slaughtered the ghost-masked soldiers. The rebel leader was now surrounded by several mounted commanders, trapped in a deadly predicament.
“Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Mo,” Xiao Zhan said evenly. “May I ask what arrangements the Empress Dowager has made for the Prince’s Mansion?”
A subtle smile tugged at Mo Di’s lips, his words laden with hidden meaning. “The Empress Dowager is merciful and understands the loyalty within the Prince’s Mansion. Yet, with turmoil raging inside and outside the capital, for the sake of stability, she hopes… the heir Xiao will temporarily relinquish military command of the mansion and accompany us to the palace to clear up misunderstandings. As for General Qin…”