Yin Zhuli walked through the secret passage with Shen Tingyao for a long time. Being naturally suspicious, she insisted that Qu Huaishang and several guards lead the way while she and Shen Tingyao followed behind. Her calculations were precise—if Qu Huaishang dared to stab her in the back, she would drag Shen Tingyao down to the grave with her.
The paths beneath the imperial palace were incredibly complex, a veritable labyrinth. Without a guide, one could easily wander there until the end of time.
After walking for a while, the passage gradually widened until it was broad enough for a single rider to pass on horseback. Yin Zhuli listened intently and realized this was a drainage system; likely, the water level had dropped during the winter, exposing what was originally a waterway.
Up ahead, Shen Tingyao had indeed prepared swift horses. He handed the reins to Yin Zhuli and smiled. "If you are uneasy, you are welcome to share a mount with me."
Yin Zhuli gave a dry laugh. "No thanks. We wouldn't be able to run fast enough."
The group galloped forward. An hour later, Yin Zhuli discovered the exit was in a very well-hidden spot beneath the moat. In any other season, this exit would have been submerged. She was the first to poke her head out, finding that they had already cleared the walls of Chang'an. She couldn't help but marvel at the sheer scale of this subterranean engineering.
It was still night, and without an hourglass, she couldn't gauge the exact time. Shen Tingyao’s men lowered ropes from above, and the group climbed up. After traveling a bit further, she finally saw Lady Yin inside an unremarkable carriage. Having not seen her mother for a long time, they naturally had much to discuss.
Shen Tingyao didn't care whether she rode a horse or sat in the carriage; he simply commanded the group to hurry westward.
Meanwhile, the palace was in utter turmoil. First, an assassin had infiltrated Zhaohua Hall, and the leg of Consort Xian, Xue Cangshi, had been broken. She insisted it was the work of Empress Wenxu. Shen Tingjiao had his own suspicions; the light had been poor and he had stood far away, making it impossible to clearly identify the two masked figures. However, the way that person had drawn the bow and aimed the arrow was a sight he knew all too well.
His face was grim as he pondered. If he admitted the assassin was Yin Zhuli—though he was almost certain it was that wretch—how could Xue Chengyi ever let the matter rest once it was acknowledged?
Furthermore, who was the man in black who appeared with her?
He immediately ordered Zhang Qing to surround Shuiping Palace. Before long, Zhang Qing returned to report: "Imperial Father, your servant has searched Shuiping Palace thoroughly, but there is no sign of the Empress."
Shen Tingjiao bit his lip until it bled. She had abandoned him after all—that heartless, ungrateful white-eyed wolf! He thought of a thousand ways to capture Yin Zhuli, to gnaw her bones, drink her blood, and sleep upon her skin. Yet, in the end, he only stood silently within Zhaohua Hall.
The palace walls, representing the supreme power of the Heavenly Clan, were still filled with the clamor of voices and the brilliance of lanterns, yet he felt the crushing illusion of being a man utterly alone. He had gained ten thousand miles of territory, but he had lost the emerald sleeve that once wiped away his tears.
He heard his own voice, which seemed to carry the bone-chilling frost of the snowy night: "Immediately send men to surround the Yin family estate. In three days' time, execute the entire Yin clan. Dispatch thirty thousand soldiers to pursue them westward through the night. Anyone who dares to harbor the rebels shall have their entire kin executed. Draw portraits of the three and announce them to the world. A bounty of one hundred thousand taels for Yin Zhuli’s head, eighty thousand for Shen Tingyao’s, and sixty thousand for Qu Huaishang’s... in gold."
Zhang Qing was horrified. "Imperial Father! Perhaps the Empress was taken hostage..."
Shen Tingjiao stood with his hands behind his back, his visage peerlessly beautiful and cold. "Go. Now."
Upon seeing the wanted posters, Yin Zhuli knew that this time, Shen Tingjiao was truly enraged. Even Shen Tingyao felt the two had become mortal enemies. "In that case, what will become of your Yin clansmen?"
Yin Zhuli smiled faintly at the question. "Everyone has their own fate. I cannot look after so many."
She sat in the carriage, playing chess against herself. It was early in the first lunar month, and sleet was falling. The roads outside the city had never dried; as the carriage rolled over them, it made a sticky, squelching sound.
Issuing such a bounty served two purposes: first, it made Shen Tingyao believe the two had truly turned against each other, putting his mind at ease regarding her; second, it gave Xue Chengyi the impression that the King had given him sufficient face. Shen Tingjiao was a man who had always hidden his depths.
The next day, the army discovered traces of Shen Tingyao’s group. Shen Tingjiao flew into a rage and prepared to lead the imperial expedition personally to pursue the rebels. Fu Chaoying naturally could not allow him to go alone, and Xue Chengyi needed to seize the opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty. Both accompanied the Emperor as they chased westward.
Shen Tingyao also knew the situation was dire. His current forces were meager, and he had brought very few men with him. How could he withstand Shen Tingjiao’s host of over a hundred thousand?
In the urgency of the moment, he ordered everyone to abandon the carriages and proceed on horseback to increase their speed. But Lady Yin knew no martial arts and had lived a life of luxury; how could she endure such hardship?
Shen Tingyao couldn't help but groan inwardly. The bargaining chip he had intended to use to control Yin Zhuli had now become a burden to himself.
When the group reached the Tianshui region, they were finally caught by Shen Tingjiao. Shen Tingyao, however, had a plan. He pressed a blade against Yin Zhuli’s neck, using her as a hostage. It was mid-January, and in Tianshui Commandery, dripping water turned instantly to ice. The broad-backed blade brushed against her neck, its chill biting.
Shen Tingjiao sat atop his horse before a host of no less than a hundred thousand, with Xue Chengyi and Fu Chaoying flanking him. Seeing this scene, Xue Chengyi was naturally delighted. Even Qu Tianji had died at this woman's hands; he truly had no desire to clash with her. For her to die like this was exactly what he wished for.
Fu Chaoying felt the same. This woman would only be a calamity if left alive. If she died here, the future threat would be eliminated forever.
Only Shen Tingjiao remained silent, deep in thought.
The two men whispered counsel in his ear, their goals aligned—execute the rebels. It was true he was the sovereign and the final decision rested with him, but what decision could he make? The arrow was on the string; he could not go against the two veteran generals beside him. He stared fixedly at Yin Zhuli, and she looked back at him. After a long silence, he finally spoke: "Yin Zhuli, I treated you with utter sincerity. Why did you defect to the enemy?"
Yin Zhuli gave a dry cough. "Your Majesty, fine birds choose the trees they perch upon, but your tree is infested with too many vermin."
As soon as these words were uttered, the expressions of both Xue and Fu changed. Fu Chaoying was well-acquainted with Yin Zhuli’s character and knew her tongue lacked virtue, so he pressed his lips together and remained silent. However, Xue Chengyi could not stomach the insult. He was a high-ranking official of the borderlands; though he knew of Qu Tianji’s fate, he had never actually met Yin Zhuli face-to-face.
Thus, he immediately spoke with a darkened face: "Yin Zhuli, as the Mother of the Nation, you harmed an imperial consort first and insulted court officials later. With such a lack of virtue and talent, how can you be a model for the world?"
Yin Zhuli raised her eyes to look at him. He sat high upon his horse, while she was under the executioner's blade. Yet, she remained overbearing. "Xue Chengyi, is it? As Marquis Anchang, you know I am the Mother of Da Xing, yet you do not kneel—that is disrespect. You harbor intent to harm me—that is disloyalty. You instigate His Majesty to kill his wife, trapping him in a position of heartlessness and injustice—that makes you a rebellious official and a traitor. How is a shameless wretch like you any different from a maggot?"
Her words rang out with powerful resonance. Xue Chengyi was so angry his beard trembled, pointing at her and stammering "You..." for a long time without managing a coherent sentence. Fu Chaoying wanted to laugh, but he merely lowered his head and lightly turned the jade ring on his thumb, keeping his lips sealed.
Shen Tingjiao looked down from his horse. He wanted to laugh, but his voice was ultimately saturated with sorrow. "Even with death at your doorstep, you still indulge in such sharp-tongued vanity."
Yin Zhuli felt somewhat helpless. "Since death is at my doorstep anyway, why not enjoy the comfort of a few choice words?"
Shen Tingjiao closed his eyes. Shen Tingyao was secretly alarmed—it seemed the Emperor no longer intended to care for Yin Zhuli’s life. His hand trembled, and the sharp edge sliced into Yin Zhuli’s neck, blood staining her collar and bodice. Qu Huaishang also spoke with indignation: "Your Majesty, since it has come to this, let your servant kill this enchantress first to avenge my father!"
He lunged with his blade, but he had forgotten one thing. Shen Tingyao had lost all his internal power, and the strength in his hands was greatly diminished. Now that his attention was diverted, how could he possibly hold Yin Zhuli? Seizing the moment, Yin Zhuli clamped down on Shen Tingyao’s pulse point and flipped her wrist, capturing him in an instant. Qu Huaishang’s blade struck Shen Tingyao’s chest, but fortunately, he pulled back quickly enough that it did not take his life.
Seeing the situation change, Shen Tingjiao immediately ordered his men to surround them. Qu Huaishang’s group was small in number; how could they resist a host of a hundred thousand? Before long, they were all captured.
Naturally, Yin Zhuli was captured as well. She was no Zhao Zilong; no matter how fierce she was, she could not fight ten thousand men.
Qu Huaishang was tied into a bundle, still shouting curses. Yin Zhuli was not bound; having just been lashed by her tongue, Xue Chengyi did not dare overstep his bounds—she was, after all, the Empress, and binding her so would truly disgrace the national dignity.
Shen Tingjiao was helped off his horse by Zhang Qing and walked slowly toward her. He wore his military campaign armor, which made his tall stature seem even more imposing. Four halberds were leveled at Yin Zhuli’s neck, yet her eyes reflected the spring flowers of March. "Your Majesty, your servant has a few words. I hope Your Majesty will listen before it is too late to kill me."
Shen Tingjiao paused. Fu Chaoying spoke up: "Your Majesty, forgive my bluntness. The evidence of Empress Wenxu’s collusion with the enemy is ironclad; by law, she should be executed. This woman is cunning; Your Majesty should act decisively to avoid further complications."
Beside him, Xue Chengyi also urged: "Your Majesty, give the order."
Shen Tingjiao tucked his hands into his sleeves, his voice clear: "She and I have, after all, over ten years of shared history. Let us hear what she has to say."
Xue and Fu exchanged a glance and sighed in unison.
The blood on Yin Zhuli’s neck had not yet stopped. Lady Yin had been restrained by the soldiers; out of respect for her age and lacking orders from Shen Tingjiao, they did not mistreat her. At that moment, she was loudly cursing Shen Tingjiao for his ingratitude. Yin Zhuli’s eyes held a hint of a smile. "Your Majesty, Qu Huaishang and I share an irreconcilable blood feud. Have you ever wondered why he would escort me as I fled west?"
Shen Tingjiao didn't know if he should respond. He knew in his heart that if he did, she would surely find a way to escape; if he didn't, he could no longer protect her. Xue and Fu would certainly take her life. He was the sovereign, but he could not defy the collective will of his generals.
He pressed his lips together, his eyes flickering between light and shadow. He loved her, yet he wished he could chop off her limbs and imprison her by his side forever. But if she left, she would never think of him again; she would find a comfortable place, where the sky is high and the sea is wide, living free and easy.
Perhaps she would meet another man, a man as gentle as jade like Tang Yin, living in harmony and peaceful years.
His fingernails dug into his palms, a sudden pang of heartache striking him, but he forced himself not to shed a tear. "Whatever you say is useless. I would rather kill you here; even if you turn to ash, you can only stay by my side. Even if your tongue could sprout lotuses today, do not dream of leaving."
Xue and Fu both breathed a sigh of relief. Yin Zhuli began to sigh. "Since I am about to die, and we have ten years of history between us, I shall gift this treasure to you in exchange for sparing the Yin clan in Chang'an from extermination."
Shen Tingjiao did not respond, but Xue and Fu were the first to be moved—no wonder Qu Huaishang, who shared a blood feud with her, would escort her here; it turned out to be for this treasure. Legends of the Yin family treasure had persisted since the founding ancestor, Shen Wanyan, raised his army, but the second location had never been found.
Yin Zhuli gently pushed the halberds at her neck a bit further away, her voice carrying a note of lament. "Though a windfall is good, one cannot take it to the grave. Ninth Master, we have known each other for a long time. Though we each had our own motives, I believe I have never failed you. Now, I only ask for a path of survival for the Yin clansmen. I hope Your Majesty will grant this."
Shen Tingjiao remained silent and pensive, but Xue Chengyi spoke up: "Your Majesty, the treasury of Da Xing is currently empty. If we obtain this treasure, we can save the people from their suffering. Moreover, Heaven values life; the Yin clansmen were merely implicated by Yin Zhuli and have committed no great evil. Why not grant her request?"
Fu Chaoying remained uneasy. "It is more important to see the treasure map first."
Yin Zhuli was prepared for this. She pulled a small ceramic bottle from her waist. Because there were so many people, she only applied the liquid to the skin of her shoulder and rubbed it. Before long, a vivid pattern appeared, faintly resembling the contours of mountains and rivers.
Xue and Fu both held their breath, but she stopped her movements. "My apologies, but this map is for His Majesty’s eyes alone."
The two had no choice. Seeing the map tattooed upon her body—and she was, after all, the Mother of the Nation—even if she were to be executed, others could not violate her person. Thus, they had nothing to say and could only agree.
The army set up camp in the rear. Fearing she would play tricks, Xue Chengyi and Fu Chaoying had her bound with iron chains to a tall pine tree inside a tent. Considering the need to transcribe the map, they only bound her hands tightly. Yin Zhuli felt quite helpless in this position of a lamb to the slaughter, while Shen Tingjiao felt that if he didn't give her a few lashes, he would never truly satisfy his resentment.
