Deposed Empress General 7- Tribute Girl

Great Yan's palace, the gate was lined with gold, engraved with auspicious symbols, the door faced the heavens, demonstrating the might of the heavenly family. Zuo Canglang couldn't help but look left and right, but Murong Yan lightly said, "Lower your head!" She quickly lowered her head, and Wenqi, who was by the side, upon hearing his voice, turned his head to look over here. Murong Yan said, "The servants don't know the rules, making Marshal Wen witness a joke."

Wenqi took a look at Zuo Canglang, and seeing that she was only a half-mature child, he just nodded a bit, revealing a light smile. Even though he was someone who walked the path of military warfare and blood, he still managed to reveal a scholarly and noble aura. As a tier one military official, he actually didn't have the posture of one who takes advantage of others nor pushes others around.

Following the officials to enter the palace, king Yan set forth a feast in Zhang Ding hall, generously hosting the Western Jing emissaries the whole way. Tne court officials were all present to show the importance of the occasion. Murong Yan's seat was far away from king Yan's, and the queen sat in the phoenix seat, the crown prince Murong Ruo sat by king Yan's right hand, with Wenqi sitting by his left side.

The distance was too great for Zuo Canglang to take a look at the queen's countenance; she only saw the extravagant headdress atop her head, shimmering glamorously within the imperial hall. The servant girls all dressed in white shirts and pink dresses, bringing forth the dishes like butterflies, and musicians began playing their instruments, gathering around like a few flowers, bringing an atmosphere of joy. Within the rowdy hall, a stream of music and song rang out.

King Yan rose, toasting the Western Jing emissary, official Zhu, with a cup of wine, saying, "Emissary has come a long way here, as though we have received an auspicious omen in the form of a dove. With this toast, one wishes Western Jing's emperor highness has a long and peaceful time, with Great Yan and Western Jing sharing the same heart and same actions, his great reign being passed down forever."

Official Zhu drank this toast, his whole face flushed, his expression great, "His highness heard that Yan country has many beautiful women, and when I was leaving, he especially ordered this official to bring five hundred beautiful women back to Jing. King Yan wouldn't be too unwilling, right?"

King Yan was past fifty, but his face was still somewhat similar to that of Murong Yan, and one could still somewhat see his youthful handsomeness. Hearing these words, he considered for a moment, smiling a bit later, and then finally saying, "Receiving the emperor highness's grace, is Yan country's fortune. How could there be a reason to brush it off?"

Official Zhu joined the beat of the music, saying "It's best that King Yan understands it. His majesty is merciful, king Yan is virtuous and capable, Western Jing and Yan country, can be joined like blood-related relatives, remaining peaceful for generations."

King Yan smiled as he drank, but blue veins were popping out of his forehead-- another five hundred Yan girls. Every year, the number of girls that Yan country had sent to Western Jing, was frivolously given as gifts by Western Jing's emperor, like livestock; their lives were wretched and worthless like critters. He took a look at the officials in court, but the officials had all lowered their heads to drink wine. The heavens willing, gathering tribute girls, that time of action that would definitely be cursed as a bitch, please don't let it fall to my head.

King Yan and the various officials all drank another cup, as the music changed to a different song. Official Zhu turned around to listen, suddenly coldly smiling, "What is the name of this song?"

The musicians didn't actually stop playing, coldly responding, "Tomorrow, one seeking the vice, to recognize what a bastard is!"¹

Official Zhu was enraged, throwing his cup, yelling, "King Yan, I was ordered by the emperor, for the sake of continuing the long peace and harmony between Western Jing and Great Yan. You've actually ordered someone to come and embarrass this emissary, are you planning on waging war with Western Jing?!"

"Tomorrow, one seeking the vice, was originally intended to established by Yong emperor, and has none of that intent......" King Yan patiently tried explaining, but that musician actually coldly scoffed, "Western Jing as a parent state, wants my Great Yan to pay tribute, but continuously sends troops to encroach on our borders. They kill our people like pigs and dogs! If you all didn't do the actions of bastards, why would you think you were bastards?"

The hall turned entirely quiet, Zhu Wenqing was so angry he scoffed, "King Yan, this is the etiquette your Yan country uses to host its paternal state?"

Yan Wang hesitated a bit, then shouted out, "Recklessly bold madman, pull him out, and beat to death with rods!"

That musician was actually not frightened, naturally saying, "What matters if I die? Only pity that my Great Yan has a hall full of high officials without a single one with guts! The autumn silkworms haven't made their cocoons yet, yet they pretend to be mighty. The slaves make themselves subjects just to make peace!"

Zhu Wenqing smiled, "Even though this person's words are offensive, but he looks like he's got a face full of righteousness. After he receives a thrashing, not sure if his bones will still be so tough. Why not have King Yan perform the punishment right here before everyone, so that I can also witness the guts of the people of Yan."

King Yan took a look at the hundred officials, and someone rose from the side, angrily looking at him. Official Zhu coincidentally recognized him, "Turns out it is General Wenqi; does General Wen have an opinion?"

King Yan was indecisive for a while, and official Zhu's smile slowly grew colder, "What, someone dares to curse at the parent state, and yet, king Yan has taken so long to say something; could it be that he things what this man has said is reasonable? Or is it the case that from the beginning, this man was instructed by someone? King Yan, if my emperor knew of this event, and king Yan left it without discipline, perhaps he would not be happy."

King Yan took a glance at Wenqi, softly saying, "Sit down."

Wenqi's two hands gripped into fists, and clenching his teeth, he finally slowly sat down, it seemed as though king Yan really intended on performing the punishment in the hall.

The wooden rods were used to hit that person, letting out sounds of heavy thuds. A person being beaten to death was not an easy thing. The splattering of the blood, and the sound of bones crumbling made people uncomfortable. At the beginning, that musician stubbornly bore it, but later on he screamed out, rolling on the whole floor. Official Zhu laughed out loud, watching General Wenqi leave the feast.

Zuo Canglang's two hands were gripped tightly, and she also wanted to leave; it wasn't that she hadn't seen people die, but seeing someone who was loyal and righteous having to scream in pain, it was indeed not something to be happy over.

But Murong Yan couldn't leave; so she could only watch. Upon seeing some of the musician's flesh, Zuo Canglang could only feel the blood in her body retreating to her heart, becoming extremely cold.

The officials in the court had long lost their appetite, most had already lost their nerve and started puking.

Having someone die in the hall was a cruel punishment on everyone there. When this lump of flesh no longer moved, the expression couldn't be told on king Yan's face, "Drag him out."

Zhu Wenqing smilled, standing, "Wait, king Yan, this official has come from a far, please let me take a look at the Yan people's anatomy."

King Yan didn't understand, but Zhu Wenqing took a blade from a guard, and publicly cut apart the clothes on that musician's corpse, stabbing into his chest, and exerting some force to cut; fresh blood spilt on the floor, and his internal organs were exposed.

The whole hall went silent, and Zhu Wenqing laughed out loud, as he cut open the man's bladder, only seeing blood and urine flow out, "Haven't seen his bones, but this part could probably be used to age wine."

The hall was silent, with not a few officials having terrible expressions on their faces. Only a guard went forward, wrapping the corpse with a grass mat, dragging it out. Some people came with water to wash out the hall, and scatter some incense, to get rid of the scent of blood.

After the feast concluded, Murong Yan walked out from the hall, and Zuo Canglang followed behind, whether it was her stomach or her lungs, she felt cold. Great General Wenqi stood below the plum tree, beside him was the body, still wrapped in the grass mat, which had just been tossed aside on the ground after it was dragged out.

Murong Yan walked over, pulling aside the grass mat, said to Zuo Canglang, "Take a look at him, this type of person is truly...... the country beneath all the extravagant clothing." Zuo Canglang opened her eyes, that bloody corpse, it was like a bucket of cold water drenching her, letting one awake from one's dreams.

This was the real country of Great Yan, the truth beneath the surface-level wealth and extravagance. The strong were oppressive, and the civilians were forced from their homes, homes could not stay homes, and the country could not stay a nation.

If the country was wealthy and the people were strong, her father would not have lacked the money to ask for a doctor, and die from a relatively healthy state. She would not have been offered to the mountain deities for a single ounce of silver, nor have turned into a wild woman inside the wilderness. He mother, now, she also didn't know what her condition was now. She had originally thought, that if her father hadn't died, she wouldn't have become an orphan.

But now, the borders of the nation were already being trampled by the iron hoofs of foes, and the people inside were all just waiting to become orphans.

This was the first time she thought of this, but suddenly felt really pained.

Murong Yan reached forwards, shutting the musician's eyes, rising to look at Wenqi, said, "Great General hasn't successfully protected Great Yan country, ah." That martial man who had been honored for some ten plus years, Wenqi, lowered his head, depressed.

At the side, someone said, "Second highness, you should stop your words, and not stain yourself with blood."

Murong Yan didn't bother looking, saying, "The strong avoid blood, leaving things like so, unfortunately there probably won't be much time left."

Once his words were said, he turned around to leave, and Zuo Canglang turned around, seeing that Wenqi still stood by the corpse, his back looking forlorn.

That day, king Yan ordered the crown prince to summon five hundred beauties, preparing them to go to Western Jing with Zhu Wenqing. The civilians, hearing this, they quickly had their daughters marry. The men of Great Yan, at the time, didn't resist; so five hundred beauties, could not be gathered on short notice.

The crown prince, Murong Ruo, forced to make a move, ordered that any woman, no matter if she had married or not, as long as she was of age, would be captured first, and then chosen later. The whole city of Jinyang was swept with tears.

That day when Zhu Wenqing left Jinyang city, all the civilians were depressed byond measure. Five hundred Yan women were tied together by a rope, their handles also tied up, and there were no smiles on anyone's face; after they had passed the noon temple, they left through Han Xi gate. There were some soldiers who used whips to rush them, as if they were guiding sheep or cattle, leaving Jinyang city.

Murong Yan rode his horse at the rear of the procession, there was a sixty-something old man who hugged his saddle, not letting go, "Official, official, please release my grand daughter; my son died a few years ago fighting the war, and my daughter in law remarried, and right now, I only have this one granddaughter, ah......"

Once he started crying, many people behind also began crying and making a ruckus, "Official, my son is still drinking milk, and if he is separated from his mother, he will definitely die, please release her!"

Leng Feiyan and Yang Lianting both stood in the crowd, not coming forward. Zuo Canglang went forwards and pulled aside the old man. He still gripped the saddle, and the back of his hand was cut open, leaving a trail of blood on Murong Yan's saddle.

The tribute women had already left the city, and were slowly disappearing in the horizon. But the sound of mourning still didn't stop, permeating Jinyang city. They were sending them off a thousand miles, with no chance of seeing their husbands or children. Henceforth, if the heavens did not grant favor, they would live a weak and drifting life.

That day, in the depths of night, Murong Yan went ahead and brought Zuo Canglang to a separate estate within the city. Leng Feiyan and Yang Lianting were drinking wine, and seeing him come, quickly welcomed him.

Murong Yan sat down in his seat, looking at the two youths that were kneeling on the ground, finally saying something a while later, "Back then, I gathered three hundred and seventy children from the various parts of Great Yan." The three of them were all startled, but he continued, saying, "Other than Ah Zuo, everyone else had gone through death before. I, more than any of you, have hoped that you would survive, to grow up from youth, and have a stable and safe life. But now, with the situation of Great Yan, what is lacking is not civilians, but those who can turn the situation around, the flip the skies, those types of talents. Great Yan is already on its deathbed, and my accepting and taking care of you, is not for the sake of saving people, but the desire to save a whole country, a whole dynasty."

The three people's faces were all filled with shock and awe, and Murong Yan said, "I've already stated my intent, and if you all are still begrudged towards this, you are free to leave."

Nobody rose, and Leng Feiyan lightly asked, "Lord master making such a statement, is because you have an intention to stabilize things?"

Murong Yan said, "Right now, our forces are weak, and should not have this intention. But, from antiquity, the high position of the imperial family, whether one competes or does not compete is not up to people. I can only say, if there truly is such a day, I will definitely promise you all a reign of peace!"

A reign of peace.

The three children were all orphans, and were all gathered from disparate places by Murong Yan; of the three hundred children, three were chosen. If it wasn't because this Great Yan was in decline, who would be willing to live by the edge of the street?

The youths' eyes were filled with the same determination, and Murong Yan smiled, "I have three cups for you."

Leng Feiyan cupped her hands, saying, "Feiyan is willing to serve lord master, as lord master will definitely establish an era of noble reigning in Great Yan as its master."

Yang Lianting seriously continued, "If it wasn't for corrupt officials running the show, Yang family also would not have been exterminated. Lianting is useless, but is willing to help reorganize the rivers and the mountains, the assist the noble ruler."

The three youths swore their allegiance with a serious manner, kowtowing. To reorganize the land, the assist the noble ruler. Even if time passed, they would not forget their original intention.

Murong Yan's expression slowly became solemn, and he pet the three on their heads, gently and mournfully.

TN: 1. Here the literal translation is "recognize what a beast is" but in Chinese, beast is a term used to curse someone as lacking humanity. So it's kind of a mix between what the English would call a "son of a bitch" and a "bastard" mixed together.