Chapter 508 — Turning the Tables
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
The Fragrant Hills villa was strewn everywhere with corpses and weapons, the stench of blood filling the air.
Gu Yu held Dou Yan back inside the room: "Sister-in-law, I don't want you frightened. Best stay in here. Once they've cleaned up, I'll take you, the Old Madam, and Yuan Heng out through the back gate."
With the Divine Pivot Camp protecting them, they no longer needed to worry about their safety.
The killing cries just now had shaken the heavens; the fighting must have been fierce indeed.
Dou Yan was still trembling with lingering fear, and all the more afraid of frightening Grandmother and Yuan Heng, so she gave a slight nod.
Chen Jia requested an audience.
Dou Yan had a great many questions for him, and said again and again, "Quickly, show him in!"
Chen Jia, mindful that Dou Yan was with child and might be as sensitive to smells as Jiang Yan, took off his outer armor and washed his hands and feet before following Chen Lanxu into the side room.
Perhaps to keep the smell of blood from drifting in from the courtyard, the front window of the side room was still covered with a felt blanket, while the small rear windows were all thrown open.
Dou Chu rushed up to him the moment she saw him and asked anxiously, "Where is the Heir Apparent now? How do matters stand? Is his life in danger?"
Seeing Grandmother present, Chen Jia wasted no time on ceremony and gave her only a perfunctory bow. "Ever since the last time A-Yan was abducted with the Heir Apparent, I've kept a watch. I had several men of exceptional skill follow you, and instructed them that if you met danger, they were to save you first if they could; if the odds were too great, they were on no account to play the hero, but to report to the Heir Apparent at once. When the Prince of Liao's men surrounded the villa, they were too few to hold out, so they sent one of their number to carry word to the Heir Apparent. But who knew the Heir Apparent was on duty in the palace and could not be reached, so the man turned back to me. It happened that Liu Yu had sent men to invite me to drink, and I realized at once something was wrong. I hurriedly sent him to carry word to Jiang Yi of the Five Districts Garrison, while I made the excuse that I must return to my room to tell A-Yan and change my clothes, and kept Liu Yu's men lingering in the parlor. Meanwhile I had Huzi hide A-Yan in the concealed wall-space at home, and slipped out the back gate straight for the Divine Pivot Camp.
"There was not a stir from Ma Youming's side. Without an imperial edict, the Emperor himself, or a handwritten order from the Crown Prince—and with Wang Xu, the Divine Pivot Camp's chief commander, plainly standing aloof from both sides—he could not move troops over Wang Xu's head. So he had no choice but to send a band of men from his own command to follow me quietly to the Fragrant Hills villa..."
The rest, everyone knew.
Dou Yan's heart leaped into her throat. "So that means no one knows what's happening in the capital?"
"Don't fret, Sister-in-law. I haven't finished." Chen Jia could not help laughing. "Just as we arrived at the Fragrant Hills villa, Ma Youming received a letter from Jiang Yi saying the Prince of Liao had rebelled, the palace was in chaos, and the Heir Apparent had taken up arms with the Jinwu Guard and the Five Barracks Army, and urging Ma Youming to bring men to rescue the Emperor at once.
"Ma Youming had Wang Xu's command tally seized by force. Wang Xu simply put on the appearance of being held hostage and shut himself in his room, leaving Ma Youming free to act. Only thus was Ma Youming able to move the Divine Pivot Camp smoothly."
"That's good, that's good!" Dou Yan breathed a sigh of relief.
With the Divine Pivot Camp and the Five Districts Garrison joining forces, the Five Barracks Army was no match at all.