Chapter 65: The Firelight of Night

Within Tielin City, the illustrious Gu clan had been massacred to the last, all under the orders of Wei Wuji. Only three infants remained, huddled in the courtyard beyond the main hall, wailing in terror. Zheng Dali gathered the three children from outside, brought them into the hall, and knelt, asking, “Master, do you truly wish to spare them?”

Wei Wuji remained silent, the urge to leave no root uncut lingering in his mind. Yet, as a man, could he truly be so merciless? Decisive though he was in matters of life and death, when it came to defenseless infants, he could not quite bring himself to act. Enough! He had promised Gu Mu, after all; he could not go back on his word. Moreover, establishing himself as a man who keeps his promises in the eyes of his soldiers was a consideration Wei Wuji did not ignore.

“Take these three children in for now,” he said at last. “Once this campaign is over, we will decide what to do with them.”

Zheng Dali nodded, inwardly approving of Wei Wuji’s decision. He, too, did not wish for his master to become a bloodthirsty fiend devoid of all humanity. Yet Zheng Dali did not depart. Instead, he asked, “Master, what of the servants and attendants of the Gu estate? What should be done with them?”

After a moment’s thought, Wei Wuji replied, “Conduct a thorough investigation tonight. Any who are found to be spies or have slipped through the net, execute them on the spot. As for those unconnected to the matter, let them continue their duties. For now, the Gu estate cannot function without them.”

In truth, Wei Wuji’s words were somewhat disingenuous. It was not that the estate could not do without these people—it was that he himself had grown accustomed to the comfort of their service and was reluctant to part with it.

Zheng Dali did not question further. He obeyed as always, bowing respectfully before withdrawing from the hall.

Night had fallen deep and silent, but sleep eluded Wei Wuji. With nothing else to occupy him, he could only wait for news from Liu Xuanba, hoping nothing would go awry.

“Huan’er, reheat these dishes,” he instructed Huan’er, who stood nearby, her legs weak beneath her.

The Gu family is finished… just like that… with a single command from that man, everything ended.

This thought echoed endlessly in Huan’er’s mind. To her, the master of the Gu household had been as lofty as the heavens themselves. Yet with one word, the man who once teased her had shattered that sky to pieces.

Startled from her reverie by Wei Wuji’s voice, Huan’er hurried to his table, gathered up the wine and dishes, and quickly fled the bloody scene. But where could she go? Not only within the Gu estate, but throughout the entire Tielin City, the air was thick with the scent of blood and death. The blood of the Gu family was but the prologue to a wider purge.

At this hour, all of Tielin City had been placed under martial law. No one was permitted on the streets; violators would be executed without mercy. Of the thousand-odd Wei soldiers left to garrison the city, nearly half had set out to carry out the night’s great purge.

...

In a small courtyard somewhere within Tielin City, heavy troops had surrounded the premises. Zhou Changyun—who had been sent by Wei Wuji to rest—now appeared among the ranks. He had barely lain down when Liu Xuanba summoned him, so that together they could shoulder the defense of Tielin City.

Now, Zhou Changyun had been dispatched here with his men, following Gu Mu’s confession to this very courtyard. The intelligence indicated that some twenty covert Qin operatives were concealed within. Zhou Changyun’s task was to eliminate them all.

“Zhao Xu, this is our last target tonight. Once we finish here, our mission is complete!” Zhou Changyun drew his sword and spoke quietly to the officer beside him.

Zhao Xu replied in a low voice, “Sir, we should move quietly and swiftly. If we can catch the Qin men unawares, we can slaughter them in their sleep.”

Zhou Changyun nodded slightly, then said to another subordinate, “Feng, have the men ready and wait for my signal to attack.”

Feng acknowledged the order and slipped away to relay the command.

“Today’s haul of a hundred and seventy or eighty heads will bring no small fortune to our families,” Zhao Xu remarked with a sigh.

“But only if we make it home alive,” Zhou Changyun replied, his tone somber.

Soon, Feng returned. “Sir, the men are ready. We await your command.”

Zhou Changyun peered over the wall one last time, confirming that the enemy was unprepared. Then he gave the order, “Kill them.”

“Yes, sir.”

With those two simple words, the fate of the two dozen men inside was sealed. In moments, Zhou Changyun could hear the screams and the wet sound of swords slicing through flesh. Soon, the cries ceased and the scent of blood wafted out.

The main gate swung open. Feng stood at the threshold and saluted, “Sir, all the Qin men are dead.”

Zhou Changyun nodded and entered the building. Inside, the scene was awash with crimson. Several Qin operatives had been killed in their sleep, their bodies lying straight on their beds. Others, evidently awakened, lay sprawled with weapons half-drawn, but it had availed them nothing.

Surveying the carnage, Zhou Changyun instructed his subordinate, “Clean this up. We can now report back to the young master.”

“Yes, sir.” Feng bowed as Zhou Changyun departed.

Zhou Changyun’s mission was complete, but on the other side of Tielin City, Liu Xuanba and his nearly four hundred men ran into trouble. A careless movement had given away their presence, and as soon as Liu Xuanba’s men surrounded their target, those inside were alerted. The occupants immediately took up arms—an ill turn of events.

The intelligence in Liu Xuanba’s possession indicated that over a hundred Qin operatives were hiding in the inn—a true prize. Liu Xuanba had only secured this assignment after a heated argument with Zhou Changyun, but what had seemed a lucrative task now proved a bitter one.

He did have numbers on his side, but the enemy numbered well over a hundred. They would not be easily overrun. A direct assault within the cramped confines of the inn would negate any numerical advantage and risk heavy losses due to unfamiliarity with the layout.

“Sir, why don’t we charge in and annihilate them? With our superior numbers, the Qin men cannot prevail,” one officer suggested, seeing Liu Xuanba hesitate.

Liu Xuanba shook his head. He dared not approve such a reckless plan. A frontal assault would result in unacceptable casualties, and that was a responsibility he was unwilling to bear. Besides, if Zhou Changyun succeeded easily while he suffered heavy losses, Wei Wuji would brand him incompetent.

At this moment, Liu Xuanba even found himself missing Wang Xiu. Before Wang Xiu became an adjutant, he had served as Liu Xuanba’s deputy, always providing useful counsel. At the time, Liu Xuanba hadn’t realized how important that was—even believing he could manage fine without him. Now, with Wang Xiu gone, he found himself without a single strategist at his side.

As Liu Xuanba brooded, an officer approached and whispered, “Sir, if we’re not going to storm in, why not kill them where they are?”

Liu Xuanba was instantly energized. “You have an idea? How?”

“Fire attack,” the officer replied, his words simple and direct.

Of course! Liu Xuanba smacked his forehead, cursing his own foolishness.

“Quick, pass the order—have the men gather torches, and get everyone up on the rooftops.”

“Yes, sir.” The officer was delighted—he had long coveted the position of deputy commander.

Soon, Liu Xuanba’s order was relayed to all the Wei divisions. In moments, dozens of torches glowed around the inn, and soon these torches flew like meteors into the building.

It was summer, the inn was bone-dry, and though the Qin soldiers inside moved quickly, they could not halt the spread of the flames.

“Surround the inn tightly. Kill anyone who tries to escape,” Liu Xuanba ordered gleefully.

“Yes, sir!” the officers chorused.

“And keep a close watch on any adjacent buildings—don’t let the fire spread,” Liu Xuanba added, cautious. If the entire city burned, Wei Wuji would flay him alive.

The flames roared higher and higher. From within the inn, the screams grew louder and ever more gut-wrenching. Occasionally, a figure would burst from the inferno, only to be instantly riddled with arrows by the waiting Wei soldiers outside.