Meanwhile, Lu Qi was attacking the West Gate. He did not have so many tricks and had just attacked directly. Guarding a city was easy but attacking one was difficult. He fought until sweat mixed with blood and had just reached the entrance of the West Gate when he was surrounded by Prince Zhao’s troops.
Fu Tao had followed Lu Qi to attack. Although his person was in camp, his heart was somewhere else. He had one ear on the West Gate and one ear on the East Gate. He felt as if the shouting was all coming from their side. He had witnessed Sheng Chumu’s abilities before and was wondering what smart idea his teacher had this time. He hated that he could not enjoy himself with Sheng Chumu.
Fu Tao was distracted and his opponents were putting their lives on the line. His sword was knocked out of his hand and his enemy was about to pierce the sword through his heart when his enemy’s chest got pierced through instead. He never would have thought Lu Qi would be the person that would rescue him.
Lu Qi handed Fu Tao’s sword back to him. “On a battlefield, your weapon is your life. Don’t lose it again.”
Lu Qi turned to continue fighting. Fu Tao’s feelings were complicated as he stared at Lu Qi’s back. His grip tightened on his sword. With just a single stroke, he could immediately get his revenge.
He bellowed, “Attack!”
Lu Qi was slightly startled as he turned and saw Fu Tao charging towards him with his sword stretched out. His murderous aura filled the air and his sword was filled with energy. Without waiting for him to blink, the sword gleamed as it brushed past his body. It pierced through the enemy that had snuck up behind. He had just saved Fu Tao and Fu Tao had now saved him.
Lu Qi smiled. “Thanks, Bro.”
All of a sudden, the enemy’s horn blared and the enemy troops retreated. Lu Qi and Fu Tao found it strange. A messenger came to report that the city gates were open.
Lu Qi looked at the West Gate which was still tightly shut. “No, it is still closed.”
The messenger soldier was excited. “Not the West Gate! The East Gate! The East Gate has opened!” A fire burned in Lu Qi’s heart. “Sheng Chumu attacked faster than me?”
“General Sheng did not mobilise the troops to attack. Someone in the city betrayed them and opened the city gates to let him in.”
Lu Qi fumed, “Ridiculous! We are fighting for our lives here to control Prince Zhao’s main army yet he has it so easy.” He did not think that he was the one that actually had it easy.
Fu Tao sighed internally. As expected of his teacher’s ability to use troops like magic.
Lu Qi lowered his voice, “Xi Tao, once we entered Prince Zhao’s Residence, go search Prince Zhao’s study room and bedroom. If you see any letters written by the Crown Prince to Prince Zhao, take them all and pass them to me.”
Fu Tao could only lower his head and listen obediently to orders.
Chapter 61.1: Victory
Sheng Chumu led troops to barge into Prince Zhao’s Residence. As soon as they entered, they saw a huge pile of firewood on a tall platform in the hall. Prince Zhao held a fire as he stood in front of the firewood. The remainder of Prince Zhao’s troops surrounded the platform like an iron hoop. Beneath the platform, the corpses of Prince Zhao’s concubines, internal attendants and officials were lying flat on the ground. They had taken poison. Whether they were willing or not, there was only one outcome.
“Your Highness, what are you trying to do?” Sheng Chumu already knew.
Prince Zhao’s eyes lost hope and were slightly crazy. “I like grand heroic gestures like shooting tigers and capturing wolves. Even if I cannot live, I have to die grandly.”
“Why?” Sheng Chumu was calm.
“Rebellion is an unforgivable crime. Even if I return to Chang’an, only death awaits me. Since I am going to die anyway, I would rather be the one to finish myself off!”
“Your Highness, please wait. I still have something to say.” His brother-in-law’s words of capturing Prince Zhao alive kept nagging in his mind.
Prince Zhao already knew that he would lose out when it came to Sheng Chumu. “I know you are a crafty person. Don’t even think about asking me to get off this platform! Let me tell you. Not only is there firewood, I am also covered in oil. I am determined to die here!”
“When did I say I was going to change your determination to die? You are right. Rebellion is an unforgivable crime. Even if I lie to you now and say that you will be able to live even after being captured to Chang’an, you won’t believe me.” Sheng Chumu turned back and asked for a torch. He took out a letter from his sleeve. “Before I came to Qi City, Concubine Xi requested for me to deliver a letter to Your Highness. I accepted it in a moment of sympathy.”
Behind Sheng Chumu, his assistant commander, Fan Yingcai, and soldier, Ye Qiulang, saw the words “To: Brother Chumu” written clearly on the letter. They exchanged glances, a helpless look on their faces.
However, Prince Zhao was in no position to take notice of their expressions. “Mother wrote me a letter?”
Sheng Chumu waved the fire torch and burned the letter. Prince Zhao was furious. “How dare you burn the letter my mother wrote for me?”
“I have already burned it. Is there a need to get agitated? After all, you and your mother are about to meet in the afterlife. When you meet, you can talk to her in the netherworld. That is all you will be able to do anyway.” He was going to see if this person had any filial piety in him.
Prince Zhao froze before shouting, “No, I am guilty but my mother is innocent!”
“Concubine Xi is innocent? How can that be? The entire Chang’an knows that Concubine Xi cooperated with you to rebel. With Concubine Xi’s family as backing, it is the only reason why you could be so bold as to kill Qian Wenjing and raise an army.” This was nonsense that he made up.
“No, no! My rebellion army has nothing to do with my mother or uncle’s family!” Prince Zhao waved the torch he was holding wildly.
“Your Highness, please do not be agitated. Hold the torch properly. If you accidentally set yourself on fire, a dead person cannot testify.”
Prince Zhao muttered, “A dead person cannot testify?”
“Now, other than you, who else would be able to tell the Emperor the truth of the entire rebellion? If you tell the Emperor the truth, the Emperor is brilliant and he would be able to make a decision on whether Concubine Xi was involved or not. But all these are useless. Since you have already decided to die, nothing will change your mind.”
Prince Zhao let out a long wail as he finally got off the platform and allowed the soldiers to tie him up.
At this moment, Lu Qi walked in and gestured secretively to Fu Tao. Fu Tao turned into another corridor by himself.
Sheng Chumu pretended not to notice and spoke in a mocking tone, “General Lu, you came just in time. I have already done all the difficult things and all that is left for you is to gather the remnants.”
Lu Qi snarled in response, “If not for my troops battling it out at West Gate, how would you have entered the city so easily?” Looking at the dejected Prince Zhao, he said, “I thought that since Prince Zhao decided to rebel, you must have had a realisation. I never expected you to be so fearful of death.”
Sheng Chumu knew that the reason why the Crown Prince recommended Prince Han was because he could not stand how Prince Han was favoured. He wanted to make Prince Han become infamous for killing his own brother. Lu Qi chose to stand on the Crown Prince’s side and naturally wished for Prince Zhao to die.
Sheng Chumu could not be bothered to get through to him. He saw the pile of corpses and suddenly asked, “Where is their Chief Imperial Guard, Jisun Chenxin?”
Sheng Chumu did not go into battle blindly. He had investigated his enemy’s main force and general thoroughly. Moreover, Jisun Chenxin was one of the Crown Prince’s men.