The Villainous Minister 03

"Even if he's a foolish emperor, he has never doubted me all these years. At this critical moment, he could have fled, but because I insisted on holding our ground, he remained seated in the court. If we win this battle, there will be those who speak for me. Even if we lose, we won’t lose our dignity!"

Little Hei was puzzled: "But he’s still a foolish emperor."

Fang Zhiyi glanced at it: "You wouldn’t understand."

"Report!" Another young eunuch rushed into the court.

"Has the rebel army already breached the city?" a minister asked in panic.

"Your Majesty! You must flee now!" The minister who had earlier been searching for flattering words could no longer hold back.

The young eunuch gasped for breath: "The Grand General allowed the rebel vanguard into the trap city, then shut the gates and ordered a volley of arrows. The rebels suffered heavy losses!"

The court erupted in murmurs.

Emperor Shunying’s eyes lit up again: "What did I tell you? You lot—you feast on the court’s salaries, yet when the moment of crisis comes, you’re worthless! How dare you doubt my Grand General? Are you even worthy?"

The ministers exchanged uneasy glances.

On the city walls, Fang Zhiyi watched the clamoring rebel army in the distance, knowing they were rallying for battle.

"Gao Liang, is it?" The eunuch who had followed Cao Ji was still dazed. Hearing Fang Zhiyi call his name, he hurried forward, stealing glances at the headless corpse on the ground.

"Your servant is here. What are your orders, Grand General?"

"From now on, you’ll lead the Mirror Bureau. Any objections?"

Gao Liang froze for a moment before dropping to his knees: "Thank you, General!" He had no desire to end up like Cao Ji, dead for no reason. And to rise so high in rank—who would refuse?

"Go now and issue the orders: open the treasury and distribute silver to the soldiers. Spread the word—today, the rebels besiege the city, and if it falls, not a soul will be spared. Any citizen willing to join the defense will be given silver and weapons!"

Gao Liang’s hands trembled: "This—" Meeting Fang Zhiyi’s gaze, he instinctively lowered his head. "Yes!"

"If anyone obstructs, execute them on the spot." The words were spoken lightly, but Gao Liang staggered as if struck.

At dawn, the siege began.

The roar of battle filled the heavens as the ragtag rebels charged recklessly forward. The defending soldiers, heartened by the news of the treasury’s silver being distributed, fought with equal ferocity, and the two sides clashed in a bloody struggle.

In the city, the Mirror Bureau posted conscription notices everywhere. Anyone willing to resist the rebels would receive silver on the spot—piles of it displayed at the execution grounds, where heads were usually lopped off. Nearby, the severed heads of several officials who had opposed opening the treasury were stacked.

Despite their numerical advantage, the defenders suffered heavy casualties. Little Hei grew anxious: "Host, if this keeps up, we’re doomed." It had seen Fang Zhiyi conquer cities before, one after another, and knew that the rebels were trading lives for lives. Eventually, they would exhaust the defenders—or worse, breach a section of the wall, spelling disaster.

"Relax. I may not be the best at warfare, but I understand human nature." Fang Zhiyi’s tone was relaxed.

Little Hei turned in surprise to see a crowd of commoners gathering below the walls, clad in crude armor and wielding standard-issue cleavers from the armory.

"These rebels are just peasants—poorly trained, never tasted defeat, let alone understand tactics. They’re doomed to fail." Fang Zhiyi raised his hand. "Think they outnumber us? Do they even know how many people live in the capital?"

Below, Gao Liang waved a piece of paper, shouting hoarsely: "Look here! This is the rebels’ surrender demand from yesterday! They want Grand General Fang Zhiyi to surrender with the capital’s guards! They swore that once they enter the city, from the Emperor down to the lowest commoner, not even a dog or chicken will be spared!" Since no one could actually see the paper, he improvised freely.

"You all have families! So do I! I may be a eunuch, but I have a sister!" Gao Liang’s voice cracked. "Do you want to see your country fall, your wives and daughters defiled?! Answer me!"

The crowd roared with fury: "Never!"

"Kill those bastards!"

"Fight!"

Gao Liang delivered the final blow: "Stand firm today, and I swear—those who distinguish themselves will be rewarded with rank and glory in the annals of history!"

Listening to his aide relay the speech, Fang Zhiyi, leaning on the battlement, chuckled: "Gao Liang is quite the talent."

He had chosen Gao Liang for a reason—after Emperor Shunying’s death, the eunuch had been one of the few to escape and still dared to seek vengeance.

The hastily conscripted civilians, their spirits roused, surged onto the walls, dealing a demoralizing blow to the rebels who had glimpsed victory.

In the rebel camp, a lieutenant reported to their so-called "Heavenly King": "The capital is forcing commoners onto the walls to fight! Our losses are heavy, Heavenly King."

The Heavenly King’s face darkened. After a pause, he growled, "Retreat! We’ll attack again when Lin Xiu’s forces arrive."

Seeing the rebels withdraw, Fang Zhiyi exhaled in relief. A battle that could be won once could be won again—especially since Little Hei had given him crucial intelligence.

This self-styled "Heavenly King" had declared himself emperor upon entering the capital, only to die mysteriously in the inner palace soon after. Lin Xiu had then taken the throne, purging many in the process.

"Throughout history, peasant uprisings have one fatal flaw: no single leader can overthrow a dynasty alone. They must unite, forming a coalition against the court—and that’s their weakness. They’ll never truly trust one another." Fang Zhiyi stroked his chin.

Just then, a lieutenant approached: "General, we’ve captured some wounded rebels. Should we—?"

Normally, wounded captives—unable to work—were executed and tossed over the walls to intimidate the enemy. But Fang Zhiyi had ordered prisoners kept alive, so the lieutenant sought clarification.

"Take them to the capital barracks. Find physicians to treat their injuries," Fang Zhiyi said.

"What?" The lieutenant thought he’d misheard. Nearby, Gao Liang also cocked his ear—what was the Grand General scheming now?

Fang Zhiyi clasped his hands behind his back and sighed deeply: "No one rebels unless driven by hunger. In the end, they’re just common folk."

The lieutenant’s eyes shone with admiration.

Word of the Grand General’s mercy spread. Soldiers and civilians alike began to see him as a true benefactor—a man who, though fond of leisure, cared deeply for the people.

But the court soon buzzed with fresh whispers:

"Fang Zhiyi is currying favor with the masses—he must be plotting treason!"

Emperor Shunying merely picked at his ear before slipping away to the inner palace for a game of hide-and-seek. Plotting treason? Fang Zhiyi had held military power for years. If he’d wanted the throne, why wait till now? Did they take him for a fool?