Standalone Northern and Southern Dynasties

Chapter 93: Action (Part )
"Your Highness, this is the gold hairpin inlaid with flowers given by Marshal Su."

Holding the wooden box, Luzhu walked to Princess Chenliu's couch.

This is a set of twelve gold hairpins inlaid with flowers. Gold hairpins are accessories used to fix hair buns. Aristocratic women have liked wearing gold hairpins since the Qin and Han Dynasties, and they have been the most common female accessories until the Sui and Tang Dynasties.

Wearing twelve golden hairpins on her head, she can be regarded as the dress of the most powerful noble ladies. The hairpins were made by [skilled jewelers] and the flowers were the most popular peony shape in Luoyang. Each flower was hammered by hand. Even for Princess Chenliu, this item would be a treasure that could be presented to the palace as tribute if placed in the Ministry of Works.

Princess Chenliu played with her golden hairpin and suddenly said with a smile:

"There are twelve rows of golden hairpins on her head, and five patterns of silk shoes on her feet."

Luzhu's eyes lit up, and she smiled and said to Princess Chenliu, "Is this the token from Su Lushuai expressing his feelings to Your Highness?"

Princess Chenliu smiled and said, "Do you know who wrote this song 'Song of the River Water'?"

As a maid in the princess's mansion, Lu Zhu was naturally well-versed in literature, but she had never heard of this poem.

Princess Chenliu smiled and said, "This poem was written by Xiao Yan of the Southern Liang Dynasty."

"what?"

Princess Chenliu said, "The last two lines of the poem are 'What do I want to be rich and noble in life? I wish I could marry the king of my east family.' This golden hairpin was given to Lu Zhu. Su Lang hoped that Lu Zhu would elope with him, right?"

After hearing this, Luzhu knelt down in fear and said, "Your Highness, please don't joke with me!"

Princess Chenliu smiled and helped Luzhu up and said, "Why, are you leaning towards your Su Lang now? I've said long ago that you will be my dowry in the future, so there's no need to be so anxious."

"But where did this hairpin come from? Did he rob an ancient tomb in Luoyang? But this hairpin style is the most popular in Luoyang."

"This Su Ze is so interesting."

But Luzhu still asked: "Your Highness, is this Su Lushuai really worth your huge 'price' to win him over?"

Princess Chenliu said: "I don't know."

"what?"

"Didn't I say last time that women like us should just follow our feelings? Why should we learn to calculate as much as men?"

Luzhu felt choked again. How could the princess tell everything she said?

Princess Chenliu was playing with her golden hairpin in a happy mood, and said with a smile: "General Su gave me such a gift, so I have to return the favor. Take the token from the Princess's Mansion and give this list to General Su."
-
When Su Ze got a list, he looked up at Lu Zhu and said:
"Were all these Yulin from the Tunqiying Camp recruited by Your Highness?"

Lu Zhu said: "The five people on the list are all Yulin orphans. They were able to enter the Tunqiying Camp because of the support of His Highness."

"Your Highness, do you mean that these people can be trusted?"

Lu Zhu shook her head and said, "People's minds are hard to predict. Your Highness means that these people have no background or backing. As long as Marshal Su is more powerful, they will definitely turn to you."

"Uh."

It must be said that what Princess Chenliu said made sense, and it also opened up an idea for Su Ze. Most of the lower-level Yulin and these middle and lower-level officers were not of the same mind. They were just attached to these officers, which did not mean that they were very loyal.

If Su Ze wanted to clean up the Tunqiying, he could just win over these lower-level Yulin and squeeze out those middle and lower-level officers.

"Thank you, Princess Ze."
-
The next day, Su Ze still took sick leave and did not go to the Tunqiying. Instead, he gathered his old subordinates such as Yang Zongjia, as well as the Yulin knights who had followed him hunting in the past, to his home. He also contacted the Yulin orphans who had been sponsored by Princess Chenliu according to the list given by Princess Chenliu.

After discussing the plan, Su Ze asked the five Yulin orphans to contact the oppressed lower-level soldiers in the Tunqi Camp to rebel, and then asked Su Suan to go to the Prince of Guangyang's Mansion to contact Yuan Shen.

In the past few days, Su Ze was at home on sick leave and no one was sent to Tunqiying, which made the officers of Tunqiying headed by Huang Yue relax and become more and more indulgent.

They openly drank in the tents of the Tunqiying Camp where they discussed military affairs, and even invited camp prostitutes to entertain them, getting drunk all night long.

The next morning, Su Ze had already received news from the spies sent by Princess Chenliu that Huang Yue and other officers were drunk and having fun in the tent, so he led his men to attack the Tunqi Camp.

Huang Yue touched his head, took out the medicine bottle from his arms, looked at the only fiery red pill left, and resisted the urge to take the "magic pill" again.

He only remembered that after taking the pill yesterday, he started drinking alcohol to digest it. Then he had a wonderful experience as if he was flying in the clouds. He was still savoring this feeling. Was this what it felt like to become an immortal?
It’s just that this elixir is so precious that even Huang Yue, who is so corrupt, can’t afford to buy too much.

Just when Huang Yue's head was dizzy and he was still savoring the feeling of "ascension to heaven" last night, there was a sudden noise outside the tent.

The smell of the elixir had not completely dissipated yet, and Huang Yue felt that the noise outside the tent was extremely irritating.

He changed his usual modesty and said sternly to his trusted aide who was on duty outside the tent:
"Didn't I tell you to keep watch and not let anyone get close to you?"

"Who the hell is disturbing my sleep so early in the morning? You're killing me!"

But the confidant guarding the tent was unable to respond, and then the door of the tent was kicked open, and a group of Yulin guards holding long swords rushed into the tent.

The five spies developed by Princess Chenliu were responsible for leading the way. They were responsible for identifying important military officers. One of them saw Huang Yue and immediately rushed up with a knife.

Seeing this, Huang Yue sobered up. He tried to escape from the tent without caring about his disheveled clothes, but was caught by Yang Zongjia who was quick-eyed and quick-handed.

As another centurion was about to escape, Sulin drew his bow and shot an arrow that pierced his shinbone and nailed him to the spot. The sound of horrible wails echoed throughout the tent, waking everyone up from their hangovers.

Su Ze, dressed in military uniform, was seen striding into the tent, followed by a young round-faced official in a green robe. Behind him were six fully armed soldiers, and then six more focused crossbowmen.

When Su Ze's men completely controlled the camp, Princess Chenliu's spies came forward to report that almost all the middle and low-level officers of Huang Yue's party's Tunqi Battalion were gathered there, with only a few who had escaped and did not attend the banquet yesterday.

Su Ze waved his hand, not caring about the one or two fish that slipped through the net. He asked the green-robed official beside him: "Yuan Lingshi, if someone drinks and visits prostitutes in the military camp, how should we deal with it according to the military order?"

The round-faced green-robed official, who had just been crowned, tried hard to put on a mature demeanor. He said in a deep voice, "He deserves death for his crime!"

Su Ze immediately ordered, "Did you hear me? Tie him up!"

Everyone stepped forward and tied up all the officers, including Huang Yue. Huang Yue panicked and shouted, "Su Ze! We are hereditary officials of the Yulin Army! How dare you kill us!"

(End of this chapter)