Chapter 62: Celebration, Night Raid

“This battle, Long Cheng’en deserves the highest merit!”

Emperor Luoxi held her helmet in one hand, her hair slightly disheveled, the silver armor she wore lending her a particular kind of allure.

“Thank you, Princess!”

Li Xiannan and her soldiers celebrated joyously. Long Chen wanted to go drink and join the festivities—also to sneak away and find Wu Jian, whom he’d tasked with a small errand, hoping to hear how it turned out.

But Emperor Luoxi seized him by the arm, her expression cold. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Long Chen was baffled. “Of course, to the victory banquet! Weren’t you the one who suggested we drink and celebrate?”

Emperor Luoxi tossed her helmet to Qingyue and said, “Forget that. You’re coming to bathe me.”

Long Chen had no chance to protest; Emperor Luoxi dragged him toward the bathhouse.

Qingyue laughed. “Of course we should bathe after a battle! Trying to sneak off? Bathe me as well.”

Zhang Qian and Xuan Yi followed them into the bathhouse.

Steam rose from the hot springs. Emperor Luoxi spread her arms, and Long Chen began to unfasten her shoulder guards, the female soldiers at his side receiving each piece. Next were the breastplate and backplate, then the armored skirt; beneath the armor was a soft underlayer, which Long Chen removed piece by piece.

He’d expected the sweat of battle to leave an unpleasant odor, but instead, there was only a faint fragrance. He couldn’t help but think, “So it’s true—immortal maidens are always fragrant.”

Once everything was undone, Emperor Luoxi slipped into the hot spring. The other three women undressed as well, letting their hair fall loose as they began to wash.

Long Chen had also broken a sweat, and he’d stained himself with blood when assassinating Shangguan Mu. He needed a thorough wash.

Leaning against the edge, he had just finished scrubbing his face when Emperor Luoxi swam over and settled herself right into his arms.

Her back, smooth and warm as jade, pressed against his chest; her legs curved against his, her head resting on his shoulder, arms reaching back to clasp his neck. She giggled. “Since I was a child, my mother always told me that we don’t need to marry, nor do we need men. I’ve always thought so, too.”

“But now I realize… I truly don’t need men. One eunuch is enough for me.”

Damn! What a waste of anticipation.

Long Chen had thought Emperor Luoxi was about to say something touching, but she turned out to be just as irreverent as ever.

“Does Your Highness need a eunuch, or does she need me?” Long Chen wrapped his arms around her, starting to scrub her down, top to bottom, inside and out.

“Perhaps… it’s you I need.”

From this angle, Emperor Luoxi was simply breathtaking—her exquisite features, her wet hair, the downward gaze meeting his eyes.

Long Chen ventured, “If… I were a man?”

Hiss—

It felt as if a crab’s pincer had closed cruelly around him.

Emperor Luoxi gave a wicked smile. “A man? Well, you’d better grow one, then!”

Long Chen tossed his towel into the water and, imitating the Buddha, made a gesture as if picking a flower—

The Buddha said: Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. And thus he raised his orchid fingers, so practical in moments like these.

“Hah… Little Dragon, what are you doing?” Emperor Luoxi bit her lip.

Seeing her offer no resistance, Long Chen continued. They were all old friends here in the bath; there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Qingyue wrapped her arms around Zhang Qian, leering. “When you sleep with Little Dragon, do you two get up to this as well?”

Zhang Qian glanced at Long Chen’s hands and replied, “He’s even worse—searching for files on my body.”

Xuan Yi asked curiously, “Searching for files?”

Zhang Qian raised her hand from under the water, two fingers together, miming the action of reaching into a folder for papers.

Xuan Yi and Qingyue immediately understood what “searching for files” meant.

“Wow, then… no wonder you sometimes walk funny. So that’s why!” Qingyue felt as if she’d solved a great mystery.

“Be honest, Qian, is it… enjoyable?” Xuan Yi asked slyly.

Zhang Qian covered her face, saying, “Try it yourself and see.”

Xuan Yi giggled, “I don’t sleep with him—how would I try?”

The hot spring was filled with cheerful mischief.

In the city, Li Xiannan brought out wine and meat to celebrate the day’s victory. The soldiers drank and feasted, the atmosphere lively and boisterous.

Meanwhile, in the Southern Liang army camp outside the city, all was grim and silent.

In the command tent, Shangguan Mu’s corpse lay in the center, blood soaking through his armor.

Shangguan Wei gazed at his son’s corpse, the wrinkles on his face trembling.

The officers beside him wore grave expressions: some furious, some grieving, some resigned.

A soldier helped Shangguan Xiu into the tent. His face was ashen.

“Father.”

Shangguan Xiu coughed as he spoke, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

He’d taken a direct blow from Li Xiannan earlier; if not for his fine armor, his spine might have been shattered.

“Long Cheng’en! He has seized Linjiang City and killed my son—this blood feud is irreconcilable!”

Shangguan Wei finally let his tears fall.

Shangguan Xiu cursed bitterly, “That scoundrel was too cunning—he deliberately exposed a weakness to me, then took the opportunity to ambush my second brother. I almost—ah!”

Recalling the battle, Shangguan Xiu was still surprised at Long Chen’s craftiness.

At this moment, the imperial inspector Yu Fuguo entered from outside.

He glanced at Shangguan Mu’s corpse, a cold smile flickering across his face. “General Tianwei, to lose a great general in the very first duel, and now the young general is gravely wounded—how am I supposed to report this to the Emperor?”

Shangguan Wei’s heart was broken by the loss of his son, yet Yu Fuguo’s mocking words made him want to tear the man to pieces.

But Yu Fuguo was the Emperor’s representative. However angry he was, he could only endure.

“No need to worry, Lord Yu. I have my own plans,” Shangguan Wei replied.

Yu Fuguo sneered, “I hope so. The Emperor’s orders are clear—if Linjiang cannot be retaken, there is no need for the Tianwei Legion to exist.”

With that, Yu Fuguo swept out of the tent.

Furious, Shangguan Xiu cursed, “We fight and bleed on the battlefield, and that damned eunuch—”

“Watch your tongue!” Shangguan Wei barked.

Clenching his teeth, Shangguan Xiu swallowed his words.

“Take him away. See to my son’s remains. Once we take the city, those women will be buried with him!”

The soldiers carried Shangguan Mu’s body away.

“They’ll be celebrating their victory tonight. All of you, listen to my command!”

Shangguan Wei sat, tear tracks still on his face, but his demeanor once again fierce and resolute.

The five family retainers and the other officers stood at attention, awaiting his orders.

“Listen well. Follow my instructions—prepare for the assault!”

...

Night fell. Within Linjiang, celebrations continued and the defenses grew lax.

Li Xiannan, holding a jug of wine, sat atop the city wall drinking without restraint, even flinging empty jugs far into the night for the Southern Liang troops outside to see.

After two jugs, she finally came down from the wall and returned to the command residence.

The soldiers on the wall had grown careless; their weapons leaned against the battlements as they chatted and joked, discipline forgotten.

At that moment, soldiers in black crept to the foot of the city wall outside, throwing grappling hooks up to catch on the stones. Slowly, they climbed.

Dozens of black-clad soldiers scaled the wall. Seeing the drunken defenders, they did not kill them, but instead quietly lowered ropes to the other side, descending to the city gate.

The gate guards were drunk as well. The black-clad soldiers crept up and together lifted the massive bar from the gate.

Bang!

The heavy bar fell with a clatter. The guards awoke to see shadows opening the city gate.

Before they could make a sound, their throats were slit; the others met the same fate.

The city gate opened. Torches flared as an army surged from outside, Shangguan Wei at its head, great halberd in hand, charging into the city.