Chapter 7
Before dawn, Zheng Da had already stepped outside.
Having accepted room and board money from Xie Chang’an for several days straight, and having daily offered vegetarian dishes to others, even Zheng Da’s wife found it hard to bear. She urged Zheng Da to go out and buy some meat to cook a proper dish today, so it wouldn’t seem like they had taken money for nothing.
The chaos that had lasted for days was beginning to subside slightly. Zheng Da spotted Zhu the butcher—who usually sold meat—already set up his stall and he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. He was about to greet him—
Suddenly, an uproar erupted from somewhere, the noise growing louder and louder, accompanied by the ground trembling.
Zheng Da looked around in confusion, still dazed. When he saw Zhu the butcher’s panicked expression, he suddenly realized!
It wasn’t an earthquake. It was the sound of hooves!
And not just a few horses—but the thunderous approach of a large army!
Could it be the emperor and the court returning?
No, it didn’t seem so...
In the next moment, Zheng Da’s eyes widened in terror—
An Lushan had never intended to massacre the city.
Though bloodthirsty, he was no fool.
Having already raised troops in rebellion, he aimed to take the place of the emperor. The magnificent city of Chang’an, brimming with splendor, should rightfully be his prize.
When the army reached Tongguan Pass, they could have entered Chang’an within two days. Yet An Lushan inexplicably held back his forces, giving the emperor a chance to flee. This incident has since been endlessly analyzed and remains a mystery to historians.
But at the time, An Lushan did not overthink it. He simply felt the outcome was certain. The Tang’s capable generals had either rebelled, been defeated and captured, or executed by the emperor himself. The best outcome would be for the emperor to surrender, personally hand over the imperial seal and throne, and issue an edict of abdication. An Lushan could then respectfully decline three times, securing legitimacy, and allow the emperor a dignified end. Both parties could part on good terms.
But he never imagined the emperor would dare to run away, leaving behind a ruined Chang’an!
The palace was emptied of treasures and wealth. The imperial princes and concubines had all been taken by the emperor, leaving only the old, weak, sick, and palace servants behind. Such a hollowed-out Chang’an was useless.
An Lushan was furious.
From the moment his forces entered the palace, he permitted and condoned his men to pillage freely. Whoever seized something kept it—whether riches or people.
Those who resisted or could not be taken were killed and destroyed.
When Zheng Da saw the rebel troops, they had already ransacked the palace once.
The emperor’s hurried escape left behind neglected concubines and even the usually indifferent princes and princesses, who naturally became targets for the rebels.
The rebel numbers were too great; there was not enough treasure for each man. After nearly emptying the palace, they naturally spread out to the outer city.
Many were still deep in sleep when their homes were broken into. Their money was first looted, and wives and daughters of some beauty could not escape misfortune. The luckier ones survived; the unlucky ones who encountered cruel or defiant soldiers were doomed to the butcher’s blade.
Blood seeped from beneath doors, mingling with the blood dripping from freshly slaughtered pigs on the butcher's block, indistinguishable from one another.
Piles of corpses formed small hills. The heat of June mingled with the stench of blood, spreading everywhere.
Screams and cries filled the air in endless waves, even the hooligans who had been roaming outside hid away. Locked doors often could not keep out a soldier’s kick, but they offered a fleeting sense of security.
Zheng Da stood stunned, numb.
He watched the rebels approach and order Zhu’s family to hand over valuables. Perhaps emboldened by years of slaughtering pigs, Zhu the butcher angrily brandished his cleaver, attempting to resist.
The leader of the rebels swung a long-handled blade at Zhu’s neck!
The blow was strong, but the human skull was tough. The blade did not sever Zhu’s head completely; it cut halfway through, spraying blood high into the air, some splattering on Zheng Da’s shoes.
Zhu’s head hung by flesh and sinew, his face frozen in a moment of furious shock, bloodstained and ghastly.
The soldiers who killed him showed no emotion, simply entering to plunder. Some fixed their gaze on Zheng Da, who had no time to flee.
His mind went blank. Unable even to stand, tears and snot streamed down his face as he collapsed, begging desperately.
“Please spare me, sir! Please spare me!”
He hastily produced the copper coins he had saved to buy pork, trembling as he offered them. The rebels mocked the paltry sum, laughing at the wet patch on his trousers.
Screams came from inside—Zhu’s wife and daughter. Their cries were not from physical pain but a hopeless wail of despair.
A chill ran down Zheng Da’s spine.
At that moment, though a man, he felt a profound empathy.
Because he was no different from Zhu’s wife and child.
They were all helpless.
One rebel kicked Zheng Da’s shin, making him flinch.
“Are you a local of Chang’an? Where do you live now?”
“Answer me! What are you dazing for?”
“Yes, yes! I’m local, living in Yong… Yonghe Ward!”
The man sneered, seeming like a fiend to Zheng Da.
“Then you must know where the rich live nearby? Whose daughters are the most beautiful?”
“Third brother, why ask him? What could he possibly know?”
“Don’t say that. We’re late entering the city; the best spots are taken by those bastards. Don’t let their poor looks fool you—if we squeeze them hard enough, we can still get some fat off ‘em!”
A blade flickered before Zheng Da’s eyes, draining the last of his courage.
“If you don’t know, that’s fine. Just come with this butcher’s family!”
“Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! We’re poor, we have nothing! That woman’s rich! Yes,I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.