Outside the mansion gates, shouts could be heard as the mansion guards and Cai Zhong faced off, weapons at the ready.
“I am here under the command of Sima to protect the lord and the government office. Anyone who dares to obstruct will be killed without mercy.”
Cai Zhong had originally been tasked with guarding the southern gate. But moments ago, Cai Mao had sent a message informing him that Liu Pan had rebelled, prompting him to come and protect the government office and secure Liu Biao.
Little did he know that by the time he had arranged the city’s defenses and arrived with his troops, he was a step too late. Liu Qi had already entered the mansion and was preparing to force his way in.
“Stop!” Liu Qi’s voice rang out sharply as he stepped outside, his gaze cold as he surveyed the soldiers crowding the street.
Liu Qi took out the seal and sash, and said slowly, “My father has appointed me to govern Jingzhou. Who dares to defy his orders?”
Upon seeing the seal and the golden token in Liu Pan’s hand, the soldiers stirred uneasily and instinctively sheathed their weapons.
Cai Zhong, panic in his eyes, raised his sword and shouted, “The lord is gravely ill. Liu Qi must have stolen the seal, plotting treason and usurpation. Seize him at once!”
The soldiers exchanged glances, with only a few dozen of Cai’s personal guards taking a few steps forward, while the rest hesitated.
Liu Qi snorted softly, then strode boldly out of the gate and declared in a deep voice, “Cai Mao conspired to kill Uncle Emperor, aiming to seize power through palace intrigue. Your brothers are colluding in wickedness, deserving only execution.”
Cai Zhong, looking at Liu Qi’s fierce gaze, involuntarily took a step back. “Young master, what… what do you intend to do?”
Liu Qi’s voice was cold. “This is the seal of General Who Guards the South. In the presence of this seal, symbolizing my father’s authority, why have you not kneeled down?”
Cai Zhong’s eye twitched. Hearing that the distant sounds of fighting had lessened, he presumed Cai Mao had subdued the chaos, bolstering his courage.
“Young master, you must be coercing the lord. When my elder brother arrives and meets the general, the truth will come to light…”
Before Cai Zhong could finish, Liu Qi raised the seal and shouted, “The Cai family seized power, deceived the lord, and killed Uncle Liu. Their crimes warrant death! If you do not wish to be implicated, quickly seize this traitor and redeem yourselves.”
Cai Zhong abruptly turned, sword drawn horizontally, and said sharply, “Let’s see who dares!”
“I will!” As the words left his mouth, a figure lunged out from the sidelines, brandishing a knife at Cai Zhong.
Cai Zhong, taken aback, hastily raised his sword to defend, but with a clang, his precious sword flew out of his grasp.
With a stern shout, the assailant kicked Cai Zhong down, pressing a foot against his chest with the blade pointed at his face.
Liu Qi glanced over and saw a man towering at least eight feet tall, his face weathered, a beard hanging from his chin, causing a stir in his heart.
Cai Zhong shouted sharply, “Wei Yan, you have some nerve.”
Indeed, it was Wei Yan. He had been in Xiangyang all along, explaining why Huang Zhong had not encountered him.
In his excitement, Cai Zhong heard Wei Yan sneer, “Your brothers deceive and manipulate, show favoritism, and withhold supplies! Now plotting the murder of Uncle Emperor, the crimes are heinous. We serve under the General Who Guards the South, not as henchmen of your Cai family. How can we stand idly by while you commit atrocities?
Truly, it’s as if finding something unexpectedly valuable after searching endlessly in vain.
First, Liu Bei’s abdication of his son removed many troubles. Then, Wei Yan willingly walked into our hands, almost as if guided by a higher power.
This dreamlike beginning seems like a time traveler blessed by fate. What is Liu Bei, the so-called legitimate heir, in front of me? Nothing!
“Well said!” Liu Qi was so pleased he nearly laughed, taking the opportunity to shout loudly, “I am the General Who Guards the South. Will you not withdraw?”
With Cai Zhong restrained, the soldiers behind him erupted in a commotion. Many began to retreat, while a few remained hesitant.
Suddenly, Liu Qi caught a glimpse of a figure in white darting around the corner—it was Zhao Yun returning with troops. This was the perfect opportunity to show off in front of two renowned generals.
Without further ado, Liu Qi directly approached Wei Yan, snatched a weapon from him, and swiftly struck down with the blade.
The blade, illuminated by the setting sun, sliced through a dazzling ray of light with a soft, piercing sound, and a head rolled off.
In that split second of action, not only did Wei Yan widen his eyes, but even Liu Pan behind him froze in shock.
No one had expected Liu Qi to dare to kill Cai Zhong, let alone with such decisive ruthlessness.
Cai Zhong’s head tumbled to the side, eyes wide open, blood gushing from his neck with a hissing sound.
As blood splattered onto Liu Qi’s legs, he remained unfazed, raising his blade and shouting, “Any more dissenters will be executed!”
Ah.
In an instant, the soldiers brought by Cai Zhong, along with Liu Pan’s men, all dropped to their knees in unison.
Only a dozen or so of Cai’s family generals remained dazed. Liu Qi coldly commanded, “Execute!”
The soldiers behind him surged forward, hacking down the bewildered generals with their swords. Failure to perform now meant losing any chance at redemption.
Outside the mansion gates, blood flowed like a river. Liu Qi held up his blade, blood trickling down the handle, his hands sticky. Fighting the urge to vomit, he gritted his teeth, holding on.
At a distance on the street, Zhao Yun watched quietly from his horse, realizing it was not the time to back down.
As night fell, Liu Qi was drenched in blood, surrounded by kneeling soldiers, resembling a god of war.
After a brief silence, Liu Qi bent down to help up Wei Yan and addressed the crowd, “Wei Yan is a loyal and righteous man, now promoted to Middle General. Going forward, as long as you achieve merit, you will be duly rewarded.”
The officers and soldiers breathed a sigh of relief and expressed their gratitude alongside Wei Yan.
Liu Qi instructed Wei Yan, “Immediately lead the troops to capture the Cai faction, seal off the Cai residence, and do not make any mistakes!”
“Yes, sir!” Wei Yan, accompanied by a group of indignant soldiers, swiftly departed to deal with the Cai family once and for all.
Liu Pan sighed in relief, realizing that a slight misstep earlier could have led to a mutiny. He praised, “Well done, sir.”
Liu Qi turned back with a smile, “Madam Cai was frightened today. Arrange for someone to make her some porridge to calm her nerves.”
“Understood!” Liu Pan grasped the situation and ordered the soldiers to clear the streets.
Liu Qi had someone carry Cai Zhong’s head and walked towards Zhao Yun. Seeing this, Zhao Yun dismounted from his horse at a distance, bowed respectfully, and stood upright.
“General, it is fortunate that with the mysterious assistance of your uncle, we have avenged our great vendetta!”
Zhao Yun’s eyes were still red as he suddenly knelt upon hearing this, “General, Zhao Yun thanks you!”
“Please, rise quickly!” Liu Qi hurriedly helped Zhao Yun up, speaking seriously, “I promised your uncle that such formalities as kneeling and bowing need not be observed between us, in respect to our fathers.”
Zhao Yun stood up silently, staring at the still bleeding head, his teeth grinding audibly.
Liu Qi continued, “It’s getting late. Tonight, we will prepare your uncle’s body. Tomorrow morning, Yi Ji will accompany you back to Xinye. Bring the heads of the Cai brothers to explain the situation.”
“I will follow your orders, General!” Zhao Yun took a deep breath.
Feeling deeply remorseful for the lax protection of Liu Bei this time, he was torn apart inside!
Liu Qi arranged for a good coffin to be bought and set up a temporary memorial hall in an abandoned courtyard to allow Zhao Yun and the guards to rest.
Upon returning to the mansion, Kuai Yue, Liu Xian, and the other officials stood neatly in the corridor. Some were even too afraid to look at Liu Qi.
The dim night veiled the unsettled expressions of the crowd, many of whom had witnessed the scene outside the gate just now.
Kuai Yue took the lead and saluted, “We have seen the General!”
“No need for formalities,” Liu Qi nodded at Yi Ji, knowing that Liu Biao had essentially transferred power.
With all the officials present, Liu Qi addressed them without individual notification, “Cai Mao’s plot against the imperial family has been thwarted! However, with Lord Liu’s assassination, there is a fear that Cao Cao might exploit this opportunity to attack. War is imminent. Tomorrow, return to your respective bases early, pacify the people, and let us unite in resisting Cao.”
The expressions of the crowd changed once again. They were still in shock from the day’s events and had not anticipated Liu Qi’s foresight regarding Cao Cao’s potential actions.
Reflecting on Liu Qi’s previous actions, they all realized that he had been biding his time for years, waiting for the right moment.
Kuai Yue’s eyes shimmered with suspicion, even considering if this was a calculated move that he and his father had planned long ago.
With the swift downfall of the Cai family, would the next target be the Kuai family?
The officials returned to their lodgings to rest. Wen Pin and Wang Wei had already stabilized the city’s military forces, detaining all of Cai Mao’s troops.
Liu Qi personally received them, immediately promoting the two to provincial military Generals, offering wine in consolation, rewarding them with twenty thousand coins, ten rolls of silk, and ensuring that all soldiers received their due rewards.
The success in seizing power today was largely attributed to these two individuals. Although Cai Mao had bought off Zhang Yun, he had underestimated the loyalty of these two to Liu Biao, not to him.
On this day in Xiangyang, the winds of change were swirling, especially with Liu Qi’s transformation, leaving many unable to sleep throughout the night.
Comment