74: Chapter 73 Swift and Decisive Measures

Great Yan Imperial Calendar, the twenty-fifth day of the fourth month of yuanchun.

The fifth day after the Edict to Reduce Feudal Vassals was issued. The court in Huadu was calm, but in the manor three hundred miles south of Huadu, it was a different scene. Xia Chonghu had been hiding here for five days. He had contacted seventeen Former Generals of Great Xia and gathered three thousand Death Soldiers, waiting for an opportunity. He was waiting for the gods of the Heavenly Realm. But the gods of the Heavenly Realm did not come. Instead, General Xiang Yu arrived.

That night, the moon was dark and the wind was high. Countless torches suddenly lit up outside the manor, illuminating the entire place. In the firelight, a burly figure stood on horseback, the tiger-headed coiling dragon halberd resting across his saddle, his expression emotionless. It was General Xiang Yu. Behind him were five hundred elite cavalry, all clad in black armor on black horses, with Qi-Breaking Repeating Crossbows hanging from their waists.

Xia Chonghu rushed out of the house, and seeing that figure, his face turned pale. He knew General Xiang Yu was coming, but he hadn't expected him to arrive so quickly.

“General Xia,” General Xiang Yu's voice was very calm, “His Highness sent this general to fetch you.”

Xia Chonghu gritted his teeth: “Fetch me? You're here to fetch my life, aren't you?”

General Xiang Yu did not answer. He just looked at Xia Chonghu, his gaze as calm as if he were looking at a dead man. Behind Xia Chonghu, the hands of the three thousand Death Soldiers holding their blades were trembling. They were not afraid of death, but they were afraid of General Xiang Yu. This man was a True God Great Perfection, the Overlord, the God of Slaughter.

Xia Chonghu remained silent for a long time. Then he laughed, a smile full of bitterness: “I surrender. But I am not convinced.”

General Xiang Yu looked at him: “Not convinced by what?”

Xia Chonghu said: “Not convinced by Crown Prince Xiao Xuan. What right does he have? Just because he has a good father? Just because he has good luck?”

General Xiang Yu was silent for a moment and then said slowly: “His Highness did not have a good father. His Highness's maternal family died early, and he was treated as a waste from childhood. His Highness also didn't have luck. Every step he took was carved out by himself. You don't know because you are not worthy of knowing.”

Xia Chonghu was stunned. He did not speak further, for he knew that anything he said would be useless.

Huadu, Crown Princes Mansion. Crown Prince Xiao Xuan sat in the main seat, a secret report sent by Zhao Gao spread out before him. Xia Chonghu had been captured, the seventeen Former Generals of Great Xia were all caught, and the three thousand Death Soldiers had laid down their arms and surrendered. After reading it, he placed the report on the table and remained silent for a moment.

“Zhao Gao,” he spoke, “where is Xia Chonghu now?”

Zhao Gao bowed: “Replying to Your Highness, he is in the Heavenly Prison. General Xiang escorted him personally; no one dared to attempt a rescue.”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded and stood up: “I will go see him.”

The Heavenly Prison. Xia Chonghu sat in the corner of a cell, his hands and feet in shackles, his hair disheveled, and his clothes covered in bloodstains. It wasn't from being beaten, but from his own doing. When he was first locked up, he smashed his head against the wall, wanting to die. But he didn't succeed because General Xiang Yu stopped him.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan entered the cell and sat across from him. The two faced each other—one was the Crown Prince of Great Hua, and the other was a prisoner of Great Xia.

“General Xia,” Crown Prince Xiao Xuan began, “why are you not convinced?”

Xia Chonghu looked at him, his eyes full of hatred: “You stripped me of my military power, revoked my official rank, and yet you want me to submit to you? You're dreaming.”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded: “I stripped you of your military power and revoked your rank because you were unworthy. When you were guarding Yanmen Pass and the three hundred thousand strong army of Great Xia was pressing the borders, what did you do? You ran. You abandoned your soldiers and fled alone. Are you worthy of being a general?”

Xia Chonghu's entire body trembled. He wanted to argue, but the words wouldn't come. Because what Crown Prince Xiao Xuan said was true. Outside Yanmen Pass, he had been defeated by General Xiang Yu's single halberd strike, abandoned twenty thousand surrendering soldiers, and fled alone. That was the greatest shame of his life.

“I will give you a chance.” Crown Prince Xiao Xuan stood up and looked at him. “Go to the Northern Border and serve as a common soldier. Start from the beginning. When you have learned how to be a general, I will grant you an official post again.”

Xia Chonghu was stunned. He hadn't expected Crown Prince Xiao Xuan to give him a chance.

“Why?” he asked.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan said: “Because you are a talent. I cherish talent.” He turned to leave, stopping at the door. “But if you run again, I will not be lenient.”

Xia Chonghu looked at his back and was silent for a long time. Then he laughed, a smile of bitterness and also of relief. He spoke no more, merely closing his eyes and leaning against the wall. He was tired.

After dealing with Xia Chonghu, Crown Prince Xiao Xuan returned to the Crown Princes Mansion. On the ground floor, Zhang Liang, Strategist Guo Jia, and Strategist Jia Xu were already waiting for him.

“Your Highness,” Zhang Liang spoke, “the matter of Xia Chonghu is settled. But there are two more people who require Your Highness's decision.”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan sat down: “Who?”

Zhang Liang said: “Minister of Revenue Shang Bo of Great Shang, and Commander Ying Hu of Great Qin. Shang Bo's embezzlement is proven with solid evidence. Ying Hu has defied orders and refuses to come to Huadu. How does Your Highness intend to handle these two?”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was silent for a moment and then said slowly: “Shang Bo, execute him. Ying Hu—I will personally go to invite him.”

Zhang Liang was startled: “Your Highness will go personally?”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded: “Ying Hu is Emperor Ying Hao's cousin and a loyal official of Great Qin. Such a person cannot be killed. If killed, the former officials of Great Qin will lose heart. I want him to come of his own accord.”

Zhang Liang was silent for a moment and then suddenly smiled: “Your Highness is brilliant.”

Great Qin, Xianyang. Ying Hu stood at the entrance of the Imperial Guard camp, gazing at the southern horizon. He had been standing there for three days. Three days ago, Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's transfer order had arrived—transferring him to serve as the Vice Commander of the Huadu Imperial Guard. He did not go because he did not want to leave Great Qin. This was his home, his roots, his everything. He could not leave.

In the distance, a horse approached. On it sat a man in black martial attire with a sword at his waist. Ying Hu's pupils constricted—the Crown Prince of Great Yan, Crown Prince Xiao Xuan.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan reined in his horse and looked at him: “General Ying, I have come to invite you.”

Ying Hu was silent for a moment and then said slowly: “Your Highness, this subject does not wish to go.”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan dismounted and walked up to him: “Why?”

Ying Hu said: “Because this subject is a man of Great Qin. My life belongs to Great Qin. I cannot leave.”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan looked at him and remained silent for a long time. Then he spoke: “General Ying, Great Qin is no more. Now it is Great Hua. You are a man of Great Hua. Your life belongs to Great Hua. What you must guard is not Great Qin, but the world.”

Ying Hu's whole body shook. Crown Prince Xiao Xuan continued: “Your cousin, Emperor Ying Hao, has already gone to Huadu. He is the King of Qin, and you are his cousin. If you stay in Xianyang, what will others think? They will think that Ying Hu is not convinced, that Ying Hu wants to rebel. Even if you don't rebel, you will be forced to rebel.”

Ying Hu fell silent. He knew Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was right. Staying here would only bring trouble to Emperor Ying Hao.

“Your Highness,” he spoke, “this subject will go to Huadu. But I have one condition.”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan said: “Speak.”

Ying Hu said: “My soldiers cannot be disbanded. They are brothers who have followed me through life and death. If I leave, what will happen to them?”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan looked at him and suddenly smiled: “Your soldiers will go to Huadu with you. The Imperial Guard needs people like you.”

Ying Hu was stunned. He hadn't expected Crown Prince Xiao Xuan to agree. He was silent for a long time, then knelt on one knee: “This subject, Ying Hu, greets Your Highness.”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan helped him up: “Rise. From now on, the safety of Great Hua depends on you.”

That night. When Crown Prince Xiao Xuan returned to Huadu, it was already late at night. He did not return to the Crown Princes Mansion but went to the Imperial Palace. Emperor Xiao Yuanshan had not yet slept, sitting in the Imperial Study reviewing memorials. Seeing Crown Prince Xiao Xuan enter, he put down his brush.

“Old Seventh, it's so late, is something the matter?”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan sat across from him: “Father, your son wishes to speak with you.”

Emperor Xiao Yuanshan looked at him and suddenly smiled: “Good. Speak.”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan said: “Father, how long do you think Great Hua can last?”

Emperor Xiao Yuanshan was silent for a moment and said slowly: “As long as you are here, Great Hua can last ten thousand years.”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan shook his head: “And if your son is not here?”

Emperor Xiao Yuanshan was stunned. He looked at Crown Prince Xiao Xuan for a long time and suddenly asked: “Old Seventh, are you leaving?”

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was silent. He didn't know how to answer. The gods of the Heavenly Realm were coming; he had to go. But whether he could return after going, he did not know.

“Father,” he spoke, “your son will not leave. At least, not for now.”

Emperor Xiao Yuanshan looked at him and was silent for a long time. Then he smiled: “Good. I will wait for you.”

The father and son looked at each other, everything understood without words.