Chapter 82: Everything Fell Into Chaos
Red Sleeve and Green Pearl were, in truth, most fearful of visiting the Princess Pingyang’s residence; unless absolutely necessary, neither would willingly set foot there. During the month when Chen Ying marched to Shizhou, the sisters endured an ordeal akin to purgatory within those walls.
Yet now, fate compelled them to return. Compared to the noble families scattered throughout Chang’an, Chen Ying was an oddity, a stranger to their circles. He seldom mingled with the aristocrats of the city, and most could not even recall his surname.
With Chen Ying held hostage, and fearful that reporting to the authorities might provoke his captors to harm him, Green Pearl and Red Sleeve—frantic and distraught—instantly thought of the Princess Pingyang’s residence, renowned for its formidable warriors.
Though they had suffered greatly there before, they pressed on, determined, like Jing Ke bidding Prince Dan of Yan farewell by the banks of the Yi River: the bleak wind whistled, the river ran cold, the hero departed, never to return. Green Pearl and Red Sleeve ran with all their might and finally arrived at the gates of Princess Pingyang’s manor.
“Your humble servants Red Sleeve and Green Pearl beg to see Her Highness, Princess Pingyang!” After the gatekeeper announced them, Red Sleeve and Green Pearl were swiftly admitted. At the sight of the princess, both knelt instantly, not daring to breathe.
Li Xiuning’s expression darkened as she saw them; her delicate brows furrowed, and her voice carried a stern warmth. “You two are bold indeed, to be absent without cause. What punishment do you deserve?”
Green Pearl’s face turned deathly pale at these words, her body limp and collapsed on the floor.
Seeing their obvious fear, Li Xiuning’s lips curled into a playful smile. “Don’t think that just because Chen Ying has returned, you have someone to shield you. In recent days, I’ve been too busy to discipline you myself—he has no say in the matter…”
“Princess, save us!” Red Sleeve cried.
Li Xiuning paused, bemused. “Save you from what?”
Red Sleeve, more composed than Green Pearl, pleaded through tears, “Please, save our master!”
“What has happened to Chen Ying?” Li Xiuning’s heart tightened.
“He… our master has been taken hostage!”
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“What?” Li Xiuning’s body radiated murderous intent, her eyes glittering dangerously. “Who dares, under the emperor’s gaze in Chang’an, to seize a founding earl of the Tang Dynasty?”
“I… I do not know!” Red Sleeve wept. “That tall, burly, dark-skinned man—he struck our master unconscious days ago, and now he has returned!”
“Ma Sanbao!”
“Present!”
“The personal guards—armor up and follow me!”
Ma Sanbao clasped his hands in salute. “Yes, Your Highness!”
Suddenly, the deep, thunderous sound of the ox horn echoed through Princess Pingyang’s manor. The guards, who had been resting, chatting, or training, immediately rushed to their barracks. They helped each other don their armor and grabbed their weapons—halberds, spears, axes, swords, crossbows, and strong bows—before sprinting to the training grounds.
In less than fifteen minutes, over a hundred of Princess Pingyang’s personal guards had assembled. Li Xiuning mounted her steed, and with the swiftness of the wind, rode toward Chen Ying’s residence.
Ma Sanbao led the guard unit closely behind her, racing toward the Chen estate.
Yet, Li Xiuning’s urgent call to arms sent shockwaves throughout Chang’an. Only two wards away from Princess Pingyang’s residence, the Prince of Qin’s palace was alerted. Lei Yongji’s face changed dramatically at the sound of Li Xiuning’s rallying horn. Since Prince Qin, Li Shimin, was appointed Grand Minister, the flow of visiting officials and nobles had been unending.
At that moment, Li Shimin was drinking with his son-in-law, Commander Chai Shao, Changsun Wuji, and Fang Xuanling. The banquet hall was filled with music and the voices of singing girls, so Li Shimin did not hear the rallying horn outside. However, Changsun Wuji caught the faint sound of Li Xiuning’s unique horn, and his brows furrowed in concern.
Changsun Wuji commanded the “Treading White” squad of the Prince of Qin’s armored cavalry. The term “Treading White” comes from ancient Chinese: “Tread” meaning to inspect or search, and “White” being a borrowed character for “thin,” which refers to dense vegetation, a place where enemies might hide. Thus, “Treading White” means to search for hidden foes.
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This squad, under Changsun Wuji, was nominally reconnaissance for the armored cavalry, but in truth, it was a vast network of spies. After Li Shimin became emperor, he renamed it the Hundred Riders, later expanding it to a Thousand Riders. It functioned much like the imperial guards of Han, Song, and Ming dynasties.
Changsun Wuji found it strange. Though the “Treading White” squad was newly formed, it had agents planted in all critical departments of Tang. If there was any threat, he should have had some inkling. He was about to alert Li Shimin when Lei Yongji entered to report, “Your Highness, Princess Pingyang has sounded her rallying horn. I have already sent men to investigate.”
Li Shimin, flushed with wine, replied, “No need to investigate. Someone has surely offended San-niang. Lei Yongji!”
“Present!”
“Gather the guards of the Prince of Qin’s palace!” Li Shimin ordered, “No matter who it is, we must stand with Princess Pingyang’s residence!”
“As you command!”
Chang’an was neither small nor vast. As the Prince of Qin’s palace began to assemble its guards, the Eastern Palace also received the news. Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, as the eldest brother, was always attentive to his siblings. Princess Pingyang was gentle in appearance but resolute at heart; she rarely lost her temper, but if someone forced her to sound the rallying horn, the situation must be grave.
Li Jiancheng promptly gathered the Left and Right Internal Command Guards. Though his forces were always understrength, he still commanded over fifteen hundred men. In the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Li Jiancheng led more than three hundred Right Internal Guards out of the Eastern Palace.
Meanwhile, as Green Pearl and Red Sleeve pleaded for help from Princess Pingyang, Li Chuqi, quick-witted, scaled the wall and ran to the camp of the Second Noble Guard, seeking their aid. Ordinarily, the military units of the Eastern Palace, especially the Right Internal Guard, could not be mobilized without an imperial edict. Yet Chen Ying was different from other commanders; over two-thirds of these soldiers were recruited from Xixian, and they recognized only Chen Ying. Though Li Yuan had not showered Chen Ying with honors after the rebellion was suppressed, he had rewarded them generously.
Moreover, Chen Ying never hoarded the rewards; whatever the Ministry of War issued, he distributed fully to his men. Because of this, his standing among the Second Noble Guard was exceptionally high.
Upon hearing that Chen Ying had been seized and his life was in danger, the soldiers were alarmed. Zhang Huaiwei turned anxiously to Wei Wenzhong, “Deputy Captain Wei, I must request leave!”