"You're a servant-born wretch—do you even deserve to speak of legitimacy?"
Yuan Shu cast a scornful glance at Yuan Shao, then turned to the guards and shouted:
"Gentlemen! Since you've already come this far—storming the palace with weapons—if you let the eunuch traitors go now, won't you truly be guilty of treason tomorrow?"
The Imperial Guards hesitated.
Yuan Shu pressed on, his voice rising:
"If you kill all the eunuchs, there will be no one left to accuse you! When it's done, I will petition His Majesty to reward you all!"
The officers exchanged uneasy looks.
At last, one spoke up. "We are willing to follow the General and eliminate the traitors!"
It was true—there was no turning back. They had already crossed the line.
Yuan Shu broke into a grin and led his troops forward, casting a triumphant glance at Yuan Shao.
Fool… Yuan Shao cursed inwardly.
By doing this, wasn't Yuan Shu openly branding them all as rebels? How could they ever justify this later?
Four generations of high office—and now reduced to this.
Though furious, Yuan Shao could no longer stop the tide.
Under Yuan Shu's coercion, the slaughter resumed.
This time, to eliminate any future witnesses, even those with faint or sparse beards were not spared. The soldiers chose to kill indiscriminately rather than risk letting anyone live.
Panic spread through the palace.
Young officials, desperate to survive, resorted to humiliating measures—exposing themselves to prove they were not eunuchs. In the chaos of night, the soldiers checked them one by one.
For survival, dignity no longer mattered.
The palace grounds descended into a grotesque scene—men wandering under the moonlight, half-clothed, enduring inspection after inspection.
Shame and anger burned within them—but there was nothing they could do.
Soon, the rebel troops pushed deeper into the inner palace.
Their mission was no longer just killing—it was plunder.
Everything within the palace was priceless. Soldiers grabbed whatever they could—wine vessels, ornaments, anything within reach—and stuffed them into their clothes.
Amid the chaos, one young man moved with clear purpose.
"I never expected it… your prediction was right. The partisans truly rebelled."
Zhao Yun frowned, quickening his pace.
"Young Master… please be safe…"
No one had anticipated Yuan Shao's sudden uprising—nor his ability to breach the palace so quickly.
When the fighting began, Zhao Yun had gathered several hundred Imperial Guards to defend the palace. But Yuan Shao soon arrived, claiming that He Jin had rebelled and presenting what he called an edict from Empress Dowager He.
Many soldiers believed him. The prestige of the Yuan family was too strong.
Zhao Yun, recalling Zhang Xin's warnings, did not believe a word—but he was powerless to turn the tide. Instead, he blended into the chaos, waiting for a chance to act.
When fires broke out and the palace gates were forced open, he seized the opportunity and rushed inward.
Horses were forbidden inside, so he advanced on foot.
Along the way, he saw only fleeing maids and eunuchs—and soldiers killing without restraint.
Ignoring it all, he pressed on into the inner palace.
Grabbing a fleeing maid, he asked urgently, "Where is the Prince of Chenliu?"
Last month, Liu Bian had reassigned Liu Xie from Bohai to Chenliu, placing him under Tang Ji's care. Zhao Yun knew this.
"The Prince… he was taken away by Duan Changshi!" the maid stammered.
Zhao Yun exhaled in relief.
Zhang Ping and Liu Xie were always together—if Liu Xie had left, Zhang Ping must have gone with him.
Still, he asked cautiously, "And the Prince's companion?"
The maid shook her head.
Letting her go, Zhao Yun hesitated—then decided to find Tang Ji.
After asking directions, he arrived at her residence.
There was no one left to announce him. The palace servants had all fled.
Hearing the sounds of battle drawing closer, Zhao Yun gritted his teeth and stepped inside.
The courtyard was empty.
He searched briefly, then returned to the main hall.
"This subject deserves death," he murmured—and entered.
From within came the sound of a child crying.
Zhao Yun's heart leapt.
He followed the sound—and found her.
A young woman of fourteen or fifteen held a child in her arms, surrounded by a few trembling maids.
It was Zhang Ping, crying.
At the sight of Zhao Yun in armor, the maids screamed in terror.
Zhao Yun immediately knelt.
"I have disturbed Your Ladyship. I deserve death."
Unsure of her formal title, he simply addressed her as "Madam."
Zhang Ping, seeing him, suddenly stopped crying.
"Uncle Zilong!"
At those words, Tang Ji relaxed slightly.
"Who are you…?"
"I am Zhao Yun, Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards."
He quickly explained the situation.
"Madam, there is no time. Please come with me—I will protect you and the young master with my life!"
"Very well!"
Recognizing him through the child, Tang Ji did not hesitate. She clutched Zhang Ping and followed.
The maids tried to come along, but Zhao Yun stopped them.
He could not protect so many.
Their sobs echoed behind him as he drew his sword and led the way out.
Hearing battle from the south, he turned north instead, heading for a lesser-used gate.
The southern entrance was swarming with rebels—but the northern side remained quiet.
He led Tang Ji to a nearby government office to hide.
Only then did a troubling thought arise—
How could he escape the city, alone, with a woman and a child—and no horse?
At that moment, Zhang Xin's voice echoed in his mind:
"If one day you are in dire straits, open the brocade pouch I left you."
Zhao Yun's eyes lit up.
"The pouch!"
He reached into his robes and pulled it out.
Tang Ji asked softly, "General… what is that?"
"When Marquis Xuanwei campaigned in Qingzhou, he left this for me," Zhao Yun said. "He told me that if the partisans rebelled in his absence, I should open it and act accordingly."
Tang Ji stared in astonishment.
"That was… last year, wasn't it?"
"Did he truly foresee all this a year in advance?"
Zhao Yun gave a faint smile.
"My lord's wisdom… is beyond ordinary men."
With that, he opened the brocade pouch.