The next morning, Huo Jin, as per the plan, went to meet Tan Gengxin while Sheng Li had sent a piece of an army to the Southern Hills with skilled shooters in the leadership of General Wang. Sheng Li had earlier advised Wang Hao to stay behind. However, General Wang refused and assured Sheng Li that this time there would be no mistake.
Sheng Li helped Ying Lili wear the armor. He then handed her a sword. "My iron lady, don't try to be brave. Just stay near the secret underground routes," Sheng Li told her as he placed his palm on her cheek.
"When you know that I am an iron lady, then why are you stopping from acting bravely? It's a battle so I can hide like a coward," Ying Lili stated.
"I know. Still, as a husband, it worries me," Sheng Li replied.
"You worry too much. Today, you need to fight with your full might. Because of them Hu Jingguo and Wan Ju are no more. I want you to not spare any enemy today," Ying Lili's anger suddenly burst out. "Even if they beg for forgiveness, you will kill them," Ying Lili asserted.
"I will avenge our friends' death. Just keep yourself safe," Sheng Li patted her shoulder. Ying Lili passed him a smile. She tip-toed and placed her lips on his. Sheng Li kissed her back and then kissed the top of her head.
"Let's go," Sheng Li grabbed his sword from the table, and the two walked out of the tent house.
~~~~
Huo Jin reached outside the gates of the fortified palace when a soldier stopped him. "I work for the master." Huo Jin took out the token which Tan Gengxin had given him. The soldier bowed and asked the gatekeepers to open the door. The doors were opened, and Huo Jin got the entry.
He kept walking and found how the soldiers were ready to attack the Han soldiers. In every corner, the soldiers were deployed at the top. Four catapults were also at a certain distance from the main entrance.
One of the three Generals, Liu Qifen, saw Huo Jin and went to him. "How are you? What happened? You came here unannounced!" Liu Qifen stated. He was surprised and happy to see Huo Jin.
"I have to deliver an important message to our master," Huo Jin replied as the lines of frowns appeared on his forehead.
"Master is getting ready for the war against Han," Liu Qifen informed him. The two started to walk. Liu Qifen narrated to him a few things that happened in the past few days.
"We had captured the General of Sheng Li. I told Shao Ping to inform the master first, but he told me that he would surprise the master. Alas! He died while fighting with them," Liu Qifen affirmed.
"Why do you not stop the war?" Suddenly Huo Jin asked him, which surprised Liu Qifen a little.
"What do you mean?"
"Master Tan's daughter's truth came in front of everyone. Her husband caught her," Huo Jin informed him. Liu Qifen widened his eyes upon learning about that.
"This is not true. Lady Xinyue can never be caught," Liu Qifen was not ready to believe the words of Huo Jin. According to him, Xinyue was smart enough to fool everyone around her.
"I have come to inform the Master about that only. Can you not see the bruises on my face?" Huo Jin queried him and then continued, "I was caught. But, luckily I escaped their prison. I tried hard to break into the special cell where Lady Xinyue was locked, but it was difficult. So, I ran here. Many things have happened in the capital." Huo Jin was worried. His eyes turned misty while narrating all this.
Liu Qifen got tense. He told Huo Jin to walk fast as they needed to inform all to Master Tan Gengxin.
Soon, they reached inside the palace, to the chamber where Tan Gengxin was getting ready for the war. "Master, Huo Jin is here," his assistant informed him.
"Send him in," Tan Gengxin ordered.
A minute later, Huo Jin came inside and quickly got on his knees and bowed. His forehead touched the floor. "Greetings to my master," Huo Jin said humbly.
"Huo Jin, I missed your presence," Tan Gengxin delightedly said and turned to him. He then went to a long, throne-like chair and sat on that. "You may raise," Tan Gengxin told him.
Huo Jin lifted his head and looked into the eyes of Tan Gengxin. Both of his hands were still on the wooden floor. "Master, there is bad news from Luoyang," Huo Jin stated.
The smile on Tan Gengxin's lips vanished, and a menacing expression appeared on his face. "What?"
"Your daughter, Lady Xinyue, is caught," Huo Jin replied.
"How? She does not make mistakes easily? Why are you here instead of saving her?" Tan Gengxin raised questions and finally noticed the bruises on Huo Jin's face. "Were you also caught?" Tan Gengxin questioned him.
"Su Feng made a mistake. He thought of attacking the Crown Princess with a fake message from you. I warned him not to play like this but because I am a mere servant, he did not pay heed to my warning. Everything was fine as Princess Consort Xue's name got dragged but the Crown Princess saw through the trick. Our spies are also killed brutally. Later, Lady Xinyue had come to meet me to send you a message about Luoyang's situation, but the First Prince caught us. Anyhow, I escaped the prison and reached here to inform you about this."
Tan Gengxin stood up and walked to him. He put his shoe on Huo Jin's hand and pressed it hard. "You should have saved her at any cost instead of running away." Huo Jin endured the pain. His veins were visible on his forehead.
"F-forgive me, Master," Huo Jin said as Tan Gengxin put his foot away. "I tried to break through the prison where she was kept but it was of no use. I thought informing you would be the best, my master," Huo Jin cleverly tried to convince Tan Gengxin to believe his lies.
"Master, we shall stop this war against Han, else Lady Xinyue will lose her life," Huo Jin affirmed when he got kicked. He fell on the floor and quickly lowered his eyes.
"We cannot get defeated by them this easily. I have prepared for all this for a long time. I will sacrifice my daughter's life for this," Tan Gengxin announced.
Huo Jin clenched his fist tightly. He knew that his master would not care for the life of Xinyue. How could a father do this to her daughter? She was ready to do everything for her father. Oppositely, her father did not even care about that. Still, Huo Jin wanted to try for one last time. He knew that Xinyue would not be saved. However, hope was lingering in his mind that if Tan Gengxin stopped all this then the Emperor might consider Huo Jin's request, though the chances were limited.
"Master, she is your daughter," Huo Jin quickly grasped his foot and pleaded with him. "You shall save her. We do not know-"
Tan Gengxin kicked him away. "My goal is to rule the Han Empire. For this, even if I have to sacrifice Xinyue, I will. People will know her sacrifice for her father and remember her till generations," Tan Gengxin proudly pronounced.
Now, Huo Jin was clear that Tan Gengxin would not stop the war, so he put the first bait in front of him. He stood up from the floor and said, "Master, there is good news too." Tan Gengxin looked at him amusingly.
"The Crown Prince has deployed his army in the Southern Hill. He does not know that he made the biggest mistake of his life. Let's direct the forces to Southern Hill and end them," Huo Jin asserted and smirked.
Tan Gengxin was delighted to hear that. "He is indeed a fool. Thinking of attacking us from that hill. We will kill his entire force in just an hour. Tell my Generals to come to the Southern Part of the Palace with their forces and shooters," Tan Gengxin ordered Huo Jin, who bowed.
'Tan Gengxin, you do not deserve to be a ruler,' Huo Jin told himself internally.