Man Chao Huan - Chapter 1.3

03. From afar, Yun Ge watched and had the feeling that things were not all right – no, this couldn’t be happening; what sort of bandit was this ferocious? Not to mention that they would attack in broad daylight, they had managed to hold out until now! Seemed like organized crime, with no reprieve until the goal was accomplished.

As if falling in accordance with Yun Ge’s line of thought, the once periodic and half-hidden blood cries of the soldiers now became increasingly clear and fierce. The girls in the room could no longer bear it, and their sobs became louder and louder.

The imperial consort had already been very irritated. Now hearing the horror of these sobs, she loudly slapped the table, demanding, “And why do you cry?!”

With this order, this movement, the cries were cut short, with only a few low whimpers.

Yun Ge knew she shouldn’t, but she was almost unable to resist laughing.

At this time, there was a sudden noise, and Mother Zhang opened the doors, only to see a tall soldier half dyed with blood, face pale, standing outside; she could not help but cry, “Guard Li!”

This man who had been called Guard Li used one hand to hold onto the door, heavily gasped two times, and then brokenly said, “The damn bandits..they have already advanced to outside the southern cloister, we sent out…send out some brothers for help, but they were all killed…” And just as he finished, he was unable to support himself any longer, and fell forward. Fortunately, a sturdy man behind him was able to catch him

The girls in the courtyard had never expected to see a person bleeding so much in their entire life and gave pitched screams, but were quickly gagged by those around them.

Even a moron would know that the imperial consort was very annoyed. If they kept screaming like this, it was probably she would sort them out before the bandits had the chance to!

At this point the imperial consort did not care about whatever differences there were between men and woman, and ordered that Guard Li be carried into a corner of the courtyard, then told the soldiers outside to come in for a conference.

Yun Ge was by the door, and seeing the hurt soldier pass by her, faintly felt that something was wrong, and made her best to move as far away from that soldier as possible.

The head of the guard kept following by the side of the imperial consort, and had been one of the sturdy men outside the gate, around fifty years of age, with a heavyset body and a powerful appearance.

He discussed some things with the imperial consort in a low voice, YUn Ge stood not too far away from them, and faintly heard something like, “Night, guard with your life, wall,”; those types of words, and seeing the sky, she guessed that they were worried that after the sun had set, the bandits would invade under the cover of night, and find ways to scale the walls. In that case it would be difficult to tell between friend and foe, and the situation was even more unfortunate; there was a rankling feeling in her heart – so it was true that just isolating oneself in their house would draw havoc from heaven!

The imperial consort couldn’t figure out much with the guard, and then outside th cries grew louder and louder; she could only order them to guard the courtyard.

The head of the guard looked hesitantly at the girls of the courtyard. The imperial consort understood and laughed coldly, saying, “These week girls, what can they do to me?”

The guard thought a little, and then brought in some soldiers from outside to protect the comparatively weak places within the courtyard, just in case the bandits secretly entered for an internal attack.

The soldier lying bu the wall said a few low words to the soldiers around him, and the two men signaled the consort before going outside to guard the position as well.

The imperial consort walked back and forth on the courtyard a few times, then seemed to make a difference, calling forth an extraneous man and gave a few orders.

This man gave a pitched cry, “This old slave understands!”

Yun Ge felt a thrill of excitement, this man must be one of the eunuchs of legend, no wonder she had always found him a little strange!

This eunuch quickly left the courtyard, and after a while acquired a  tray with twenty little wine cups, the gusts of the light fragrance of wine was mixed with the smell of something like raw meat.

Yun Ge was wondering what this was, when she saw the girl next to her undergo a great change, an appalled, terrified expression expression on her face, her eyes staring fiexedly at the wine cups, as it there would be a poisonous snake coming out of the cup to bite her.

The eunuch put the tray in the courtyard on the Eight Immortals table, bowed to the imperial consort, and then left with the other eunuch to guard the place.

The imperial consort, seeing the sky grow gradually darker, but continued to hear the murderous cries outside, without a single soldier coming in to report good or bad news. The iron in her eyes increased, and she turned to walk next to the table, coldly saying, “Today, the evil bandits are powerful. Perhaps in a few moments they will break in. In order to protect the reputation of the prince and your chastity, if there really is such a moment, you will all drink this farewell wine. If there is a coward who trips over etiquette, then…well, just hope that in the next life, you will be born into a good family, with a wealthy husband and noble son.”

Some of the girls fainted, Yun Ge’s heart went cold. What a harsh hard, to demand that we accompany her into death!

Outside she heard the head of the guard cry, “Brothers, surround the front courtyard, and fight to the death!”

Then there was the sound of a savage laugh. “Ha ha ha, I have log heard that there are many beautiful woman hidden behind the walls of the prince’s palace, have them come out and let me meet them. If the prince doesn’t have the strength to water the flowers, well, I have plenty, I guarantee that these little beauties…”

After another wretched cry, there was the loud cry – “You dogs guarding the gates, go wait by the Yellow Springs (a place in hell), after I have had my fun, I promise to send these beauties to accompany you!” His voice was harsh and ugly.

Hearing this Yun Ge could not help but make a fist; her one thread of hope had been extinguished. Even if the imperial consort did not force them all to suicide, these badnits stll had no intention of letting them live on.

The man who spoke had no idea that these were the words that spurred Yun Ge to make a completely different choice, punching a hole in their once flawless plan.

The imperial consort’s face was black with anger as she walked towards the window, thinking about the situation.