An Lu (2)

The news of Yuan Guo's capture by An Lu shook the empire like thunder in a clear sky. In the capital, the Four Families gathered in the grand throne hall, their faces tense under the cold glow of the oil lamps. Wei Jian, with his sharp features and icy gaze, struck the arm of his carved wooden seat. 

"An Lu has overstepped his bounds!" he roared. "Arresting Yuan Guo without consulting us… does he truly believe he can play at being emperor?" 

Li Chang, the scar on his cheek stark against his glacial expression, raised a hand to calm the room. 

"Let us not underestimate his cunning. An Lu never acts without calculation. Keeping Yuan Guo as a hostage gives him leverage—over his followers… and over us." 

From the corner of the room, Bei Xian, arms crossed over his chest, let out a cynical chuckle. 

"So what do we do? Beg him to release him? An Lu knows Yuan Guo is a symbol. If he kills him, the generals loyal to the throne will rise like a swarm of hornets." 

Cong Qing, ever the strategist, traced a finger over the imperial map spread across the table. 

"But if he releases him, he loses his advantage. An Lu is maneuvering to position himself as a third power. We must offer him something he values more than his little puppet game." 

Wei Jian gritted his teeth, then suddenly yanked the dagger embedded in the map. 

"Then we use Wei Lian. Her marriage to An Lu was meant to control him. Let her travel to Guangling and remind him of his place." 

Wei Lian adjusted the golden hairpin in her dark locks, her reflection staring back at her from the polished bronze mirror. The crimson gown embroidered with dragons weighed heavily on her shoulders, a burden both physical and symbolic. She had always known that her father, Wei Jian, would send her as a pawn in his grand game, but she had not expected the chilling order that came with the messenger: "Convince An Lu to release Yuan Guo… or ensure that his death appears to be the work of the rebels." 

When she stepped into the throne hall, An Lu was reclining, sipping wine from a silver goblet. His sharp eyes flicked to her as she entered, a smirk tugging at his lips. 

"Have you come to seduce me, Lady Wei?" he mused, swirling the red liquid in his cup. 

Wei Lian held her composure, her back straight and her expression unreadable. 

"I have come to offer you an honorable way forward," she stated, her tone smooth but firm. "Release Yuan Guo, and the Families will forgive this… insubordination." 

An Lu set his goblet down and rose from his seat, his movements deliberate and slow as he closed the distance between them. 

"Honor?" he murmured, reaching out to twirl a strand of her hair between his fingers. "The Families sold their honor decades ago. Tell your father that if he wants Yuan Guo, he will come kneeling to me." 

Wei Lian did not flinch. She knew that any sign of weakness would be seized upon. 

"My father kneels to no one," she replied coolly. "But if you continue down this path, you will find yourself alone, surrounded by enemies." 

An Lu laughed, a cold and hollow sound. 

"Enemies, Lady Wei, are only those who lack the power to challenge me. And right now, I hold that power." 

In the dimly lit dungeon, Yuan Guo crouched against the damp stone wall, his fingers smudged with charcoal as he sketched plans onto the rough surface. The flickering torchlight cast long shadows, making the cramped space feel even more oppressive. He knew Luo Wen would act. He knew the Families would eventually turn against each other. And when the inevitable chaos erupted, he would be ready. 

"The empire does not belong to the Families, An Lu," he murmured to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. "It belongs to the people. And the people do not forget." 

Meanwhile, high in the mountains, Yuan Guo's followers lit signal fires, their shouts of defiance echoing through the valleys. Flames flickered against the darkened sky, beacons of rebellion that could be seen for miles. The game that An Lu had begun was now in motion, but the rules would be rewritten by those willing to set the board ablaze. 

The tension in the grand hall was palpable. The shadows of the oil lamps flickered on the walls, stretching like silent conspirators. Wei Jian, his jaw tight and his posture rigid, continued tapping his fingers against the carved wood of his chair—each tap an echo of his simmering frustration. 

"We cannot allow An Lu to humiliate us in this way," Wei Jian said, his voice cutting through the silence. "If we yield now, everything we have built will be for nothing." 

Li Chang, his scar gleaming in the dim light, nodded slowly. 

"But we must tread carefully. An Lu is no fool. He knows he has the upper hand for now. If we act rashly, we will only end up playing into his hands." 

From his usual corner, Bei Xian let out another cynical chuckle. 

"Caution, yes. But we must also remember that time is a luxury we do not have. Every day that Yuan Guo remains in captivity, more followers rally to his cause. And if An Lu decides to eliminate him, chaos will be unavoidable." 

Cong Qing, his ever-calculating mind at work, dragged his finger across the empire's map once more. 

"There is another option," he said, his voice calm but resolute. "We can use Luo Wen. He has influence in the southern regions. If we bring him to our side, we can balance the scales." 

Wei Jian's eyes narrowed. 

"Luo Wen is a lone wolf. He will not join us without something in return." 

"Then we offer him something he cannot refuse," Cong Qing countered. "Something that makes it clear his future is safer with us than with An Lu." 

Wei Lian walked through the marble-floored corridors of An Lu's palace, her crimson dress trailing behind her. Every step was deliberate, every movement measured. She had been sent as a piece in this game of power, but she was determined not to be anyone's pawn. 

Upon entering the throne hall, she found An Lu still seated on his elevated dais, the smirk still playing on his lips as he swirled his wine. 

"Have you come to seduce me, Lady Wei?" he asked again, voice dripping with amusement. 

Wei Lian met his gaze, unflinching. 

"I offer you an honorable path forward," she repeated. "Release Yuan Guo, and the Families will overlook this… insubordination." 

An Lu's smirk widened as he approached her. 

"Honor?" he murmured, brushing a strand of her hair between his fingers. "Tell your father that if he wants Yuan Guo, he will come kneeling." 

Wei Lian's expression remained unreadable. 

"Then you leave him no choice." 

As An Lu laughed once more, deep within the dungeons, Yuan Guo continued tracing his plans onto the walls. He knew that the empire's balance of power was shifting, that the flames of rebellion had already been lit. And when the chaos erupted, it would not be the Families, nor An Lu, who decided the future of the empire. 

It would be the people. 

And the people, Yuan Guo knew, never forgot.