CHAPTER 319: CHAPTER 316: SEPARATION

In the dim dungeon.

Xue Shougui heard noises from outside and struggled to lift his head. His face was lined with dried blood, scars crisscrossed his body, layered upon old battle wounds, presenting a particularly shocking sight.

After years of warfare, this time he was exceptionally bedraggled.

Xue Shougui shook his head, trying to keep himself more alert. In fact, he was prepared when Xue Ke disappeared, knowing that his cowardly son must have escaped from Taiyuan Prefecture.

There was no resentment for his own mistakes or his son; the moment he was imprisoned, he had decided to confess everything as it was.

From owing Prince Guangyang a favor, to dispersing the soldiers surrounding the Prince Guangyang Mansion to let the commandery princess escape, it was all his doing and had nothing to do with anyone else.

Whether it was the court officials or His Majesty questioning him, he’d say the same; to say he concealed anything would be about Chen Youli and the Chen Family Village, about which he didn’t say much.

He thought that everything should end here, never expecting His Majesty to involve others.

At this moment, Song Xian had already besieged the city, yet there were still those plotting, inciting His Majesty to arrest the so-called "Party of Prince Guangyang."

When external enemies are not eradicated yet internal strife increases, how can the Gao Dynasty not fall?

He advised His Majesty not to fall for the Liao people’s plot. While the Liao people exposed this matter to form an alliance against Song Xian, how could they not have other intentions?

What if they want to profit after His Majesty and Song Xian wore each other out? By then, His Majesty’s army would be exhausted, how would they face the Liao people?

No matter how His Majesty deals with Song Xian, he must not open the gates and let the Liao people into the city. If he does, he might harm the Qi people, but the eight states’ people would suffer the most.

The eight states would not be so defenseless, not because of Prince Guangyang or Song Xian, but themselves. Why, after nineteen years of governance, do the eight states’ people still long for Prince Guangyang?

Ultimately, we ourselves have misgoverned.

Nineteen years ago, even though His Majesty killed Prince Guangyang, he did not feel victorious in his heart; otherwise, there wouldn’t have been ongoing internal chaos in the eight states, labeling so many officials and citizens as "Party of Prince Guangyang."

After saying this, His Majesty still wanted him to confess the accomplices.

He was disheartened, wishing for a quick death, but when he saw familiar deputies and officials being imprisoned, he could no longer conceal his sadness.

Unexpectedly, so many people were implicated, and who would have thought His Majesty would lose composure, becoming no different from the fleeing Xue Ke?

"Old General."

Xue Shougui lifted his head at the sound and saw an official from the Ministry of Justice.

The official spoke softly, "The Chief Secretary sent me here."

Xue Shougui’s lips moved, wanting to speak but no sound came out.

The official paused before saying, "His Majesty commands the Chief Secretary to execute you all."

Xue Shougui had anticipated this, but what concerned him was something else, and he exerted all his energy to ask, "Did His Majesty...join...with the Liao people...has he...opened the gates?"

The official nodded: "I heard that His Majesty ordered the gates of Ying County opened, allowing soldiers from Shuo County and Ying County to join forces with the Liao people against Song Xian’s men in Dai State. Prince Guangyang’s granddaughter is also in Dai County..."

An expression of sorrow filled Xue Shougui’s face; they had come to this point, and the Gao Dynasty was destined to collapse, with no chance left.

Losing the people’s support and His Majesty’s composure; they would only lose this battle, and this time the Qi people would not let His Majesty escape.

Xue Shougui suppressed his emotions for a long while before speaking, "Besides... me... who else must die?"

The official said, "The eight adults arrested over the past two days will all be dealt with, along with...you and several other officials’ families..."

Xue Shougui was momentarily stunned and then hoarsely said, "What sin...do they bear? It’s all my fault... I...have harmed them."

"General," the official couldn’t bear to see, "Actually, over these years, we have seen many things, especially here at the Ministry of Justice, where too many have been killed... His Majesty has grown increasingly irritable over the last two years, and anyone associated with Prince Guangyang is certainly doomed. Even if the Qi people do not attack the eight states now, the eight states will soon fall into chaos."

"So this time..." the official took a deep breath, "while His Majesty leads the troops out of the city, let’s leave!"

Xue Shougui looked at the official in surprise.

The official waved his hand, and immediately someone came to unlock the chains binding Xue Shougui.

Xue Shougui was helped to his feet and was about to speak when he heard a commotion in the dungeon, followed by officials who had been tortured being brought out.

"General," the deputy general next to Xue Shougui stepped forward, "the tyrant has lost his virtue. Rather than being murdered here in vain, let us leave Taiyuan Prefecture."

Xue Shougui looked at those before him: "Did...the Qi people send someone to persuade you?"

The deputy general’s eyes did not waver: "I think what Song Xian’s people said is right. We’re not afraid to die, but we shouldn’t die disgracefully. Since His Majesty doesn’t trust us, why should we serve him? He was unjust first, and over the years we’ve been loyal to the Gao Dynasty, yet this is the outcome. I am not satisfied."

"If only I were to die, so be it, but to implicate my entire family...is it worth sacrificing so many lives for such a tyrant? We have figured it out. We won’t help the Liao people attack Taiyuan, nor will we sit here waiting to die."

Xue Shougui wanted to say something, but ultimately could not bring himself to speak. He had no grounds to persuade them since the deputy general was telling the truth—they could die in battle, but not be shamefully murdered.

Though their departure would surely throw the city into chaos, aiding Song Xian in secret, the present Gao Dynasty indeed had no reason to demand these lives be sacrificed for it.

"Let’s go!" Xue Shougui said, "All...let’s leave..."

"Go!" The deputy general shouted, "We will leave the city together. From now on, we fight not for the Gao Dynasty, but for ourselves and our families."

The sound of agreement echoed through the dungeon.

...

Outside Taiyuan Prefecture, Gao Yu listened to the messenger’s report.

Song Xian’s troops had already engaged with his Royal Army vanguard. Unexpectedly, his Royal Army failed to encircle Song Xian, being dispersed several times by Song Xian’s cavalry.

Gao Yu frowned, "Instruct the vanguard to capture Song Xian no matter what today."

The messenger immediately mounted his horse in response.

Gao Yu looked at the generals beside him: "Take ten thousand men with me to outflank Song Xian’s left wing from the east."

Song Xian’s left wing should be meeting Zhang Weihe’s forces, and now that Zhang Weihe is following the Liao people to Dai State, the camp in Guangyang County is in chaos, providing him the perfect opportunity to strike.

Winning this battle would surely boost the Royal Army’s morale.

After saying this, Gao Yu spurred his horse forward. By the latest tomorrow, he intended to sever Song Xian’s head and hang it where Prince Guangyang’s body was once exposed.

After a while of galloping, the camp in Guangyang County was visible in the distance.

From afar, the camp appeared quiet; could it be that the soldiers were unaware of the battle’s start, still waiting for Zhang Weihe’s orders?

While Gao Yu was pondering this, he suddenly heard the sound of fighting behind him.

"Your Majesty, this isn’t good; it seems there are ambushed troops around us, and we’ve rushed into their formation."