The Regent’s Secret Chapter 78

Chapter 78

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Liu Dianbu led Duke Dingguo’s Mansion people straight to the garden, revealing their whereabouts only when they arrived. The sound of killing suddenly echoed from all sides, and as the flames grew, the guards in the Wang Mansion quickly gathered in the garden.

Zhao Xi listened to the vague noise outside the room, anxiously looked up, and the lights flickered inside the room while the strong wind outside blew, making the golden bells under the eaves ring incessantly.

Zhao Xi’s forehead was covered in cold sweat, but he couldn’t move an inch.

The guards in the palace gathered more and more, and all the infiltrators were skilled. The rain mixed with blood soon turned the last few remaining lotus leaves in the pond into a dark color.

While they were fighting, a team of people sneaked into the main courtyard of Su Wang. The leader of Duke Dingguo’s had been on guard early on. It was impossible to penetrate into the Regent’s Palace unnoticed. It was better to split up and use a diversionary tactic to lure the guards away, then go straight to Su Wang.

The group was only discovered when they reached the garden, and the pre-arranged individuals slipped away with Liu Dianbu, leaving most of the men and horses to attract and detain the incoming guards.

The team that escaped only had six people. They took advantage of the increasingly heavy rain and successfully sneaked into the main courtyard. Although the defense here was much stronger, the soldiers on duty were still ordinary and couldn’t resist the elite soldiers under Duke Dingguo.

The leader of the assassins led the way into the main hall. At this point, everything outside was in chaos, and Zhao Yuan had not yet come out of the room. The team was certain that the intelligence was correct. Su Wang was powerless when he had a sudden illness.

Looking in from the carved window, they could clearly see a eunuch sitting in the room. The five people rushed in, leaving only one person and Liu Dianbu on guard outside.

The door and windows were suddenly pushed open. The five people rushed in, their blades flashing like frost. The blade tips had reached the eunuch’s neck.

The five people looked closely, only to find that the figure sitting on the chair was not a person at all, but a mannequin!

“D*mn it! Retreat quickly!”

Realizing that they had fallen into a trap, the five people turned and fled.

As soon as the door was pulled open, a cold light appeared in the dim light. The first person to enter was extremely quick to react. Before he could discern the sound of the arrows flying in the wind and rain, he slammed into the door.

The sound of arrows hitting the doors, windows, tables, and chairs echoed in the room.

Soon, groans could be heard inside the room. The leading general looked at his companions and found that one was dead, one was severely injured, and the other two were also hit by arrows, only he had escaped the rain of arrows.

He gritted his teeth and signaled to his lightly injured companions. The three of them gently pushed down the round table made of sandalwood l, using it as a temporary shield, and moved it under the window to listen quietly.

Outside the room, flames were lit up, illuminating the raindrops falling and making the countless torches hiss as they were extinguished by the rain.

Zhou Yi sneered in the courtyard a few times and shouted to the people inside, “All the remaining thieves of Duke Dingguo’s mansion have been executed. Lay down your weapons and surrender, and His Highness will spare your lives.”

The three people inside the room were unsure and had not made any movements when another wave of arrows rained down. One of them was hit again in the left arm, making it increasingly hopeless to break out.

The leader quickly threw two darts, ending the life of the severely injured comrade, and spoke with a crazed and fierce look in his eyes, “Fight our way out, even if it means sacrificing our lives!”

The door was broken open again.

When Zhao Yuan came out of the inner room, he saw Zhao Xi looking worried and not as composed as usual while serving him.

He sat down and drank the ginseng soup that was handed to him, looking at Zhao Xi and said, “After so many years, you still haven’t gotten used to it?”

Zhao Xi couldn’t help but say, “Your Highness still has the heart to laugh at me. I’ve never been able to get used to it, let alone today, which is even more dangerous.”

Although Zhou Yi had long found out that Liu Dianbu was a person of Duke Dingguo’s, there were still spies in every household’s courtyard, just like in the army. It was better to keep a close eye on them and keep their every move under their control.

Zhao Yuan didn’t care and said, “We’ve encountered even more dangerous situations. Back in Lingnan, we had to conceal the epidemic. We’ve already gone through worse times, so what’s the big deal for today?”

When Zhao Yuan was dressed and seated in the hall, Zhou Yi was already waiting outside, waiting for his signal.

In the night, lightning flashed like swords, splitting the rainy sky. Su Wang, who had just been poisoned, did not even wait for a moment, and was already planning to attack Duke Dingguo’s mansion that very night.

Thunder rumbled, and the wind and rain raged like the world was at war.

The outside study of Duke Dingguo’s mansion was brightly lit, and Shen Yin and his group of aides were waiting for the news.

Shen Yin was quite confident in his plan to capture the regent prince. The reason was simple: Zhou Yi had successfully severed the clue leading to the arson at Duke Dingguo’s residence on his first attempt, and on his second attempt, he went completely unnoticed. With this track record, Shen Yin had the confidence to confront Zhao Yuan. 

One of his advisers spoke up, “Master, with this stormy weather as our cover, there is no need to worry about our tracks being exposed. We will undoubtedly be able to capture the regent prince without him suspecting a thing.” 

Shen Yin felt that even if they were discovered, the individuals they sent were prepared to sacrifice their lives. At worst, even if Duke Dingguo’s residence was exposed, Zhao Yuan had no evidence to link him to the crime. Without evidence, no one would dare to touch the Emperor’s own uncle!

The large stove in the kitchen of the mansion was still burning, and the maids and servants were waiting, ready to prepare a victory feast overnight.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the study.

The steward rushed in and Shen Yin anxiously asked, “Has he come back?”

But the steward’s face was full of fear. He shook his head with trembling hands and fell to his knees, saying in a stuttering voice, “The… the Regent Prince is coming to kill us.”

“What did you say?!”

A thunderbolt exploded in the air, and the lingering sound continued to rumble, drowning out Shen Yin’s question.

The rolling thunder that followed directly crushed everyone’s hearts.

Before they could think deeply about it, more people came in and reported urgently, “Master, the Regent Prince has arrived at the second gate!”

“Master, our mansion is surrounded!”

Shen Yin was also a general who had led troops. After being astonished for a moment, he calmed down and said, “Go and send someone to the inner courtyard to notify my wife and let her take care of the old Madam.” Then he turned and said, “Let’s go and meet them.”

Now that the mansion was surrounded, there was nowhere to escape. It was better to follow Duke Dingguo and fulfill one’s loyalty.

Shen Yin took a sword from the wall and strode out of the study.

From the study to the middle road, in the pouring rain, there were flickering stars. When he arrived at the second gate, the fire was raging around him, and the horses and people were illuminated clearly.

“Su Wang, what are you doing breaking into my Duke mansion in the middle of the night?!”

Zhao Yuan had not dismounted when he arrived at the mansion. At this moment, he was looking down at Shen Yin with his eyes narrowed, like a leopard in the night, looking at his prey.

Zhou Yi had already signaled to throw a person onto the ground, saying, “Do you recognize him Duke?”

Shen Yin looked closely and saw that it was Liu Dianbu. Undoubtedly, the loyal dead soldiers under his command had given their utmost loyalty. However, he forgot about one thing: there was still someone who could be swayed by money to betray Duke Dingguo. It was only natural that they would prioritize their own survival and betray him.

This person had been tortured by Zhou Yi and was already lying on the ground, hardly resembling a human being.

Shen Yin couldn’t possibly admit it, “I don’t know where Your Highness found this person, let alone why you have to blame Duke Dingguo’s mansion?”

Zhao Yuan didn’t want to talk nonsense with him, “The evidence and witnesses have been found. You, Shen Yin, dared to attack my regent mansion, so you should have expected to face me, Zhao Yuan!”

Cold light burst out of his eyes. “Take action!”

Most of the guards in Duke Dingguo’s mansion had already been killed, and they were now fighting to their death in the heavy rain.

Shen Yin also wielded his sword and fought left and right.

Most of his staff behind him were scholars, and when they saw the bloody soldiers rushing towards them like wolves, half of them were frightened and fell to their knees, while the slightly stronger ones turned around and ran.

Shen Yin killed one person with his sword and pointed it at Zhao Yuan, gritting his teeth, “I am His Majesty’s uncle, Zhao Yuan! You really don’t put His Majesty and the Empress Dowager in your eyes? With your ambition, even if I have to risk my life, I must protect His Majesty’s foundation!”

Zhao Yuan sat on Bai Yucong, coldly looking down with disdain. “I am still the uncle of His Majesty,” he said. “Let me tell you, His Majesty once said that if Duke Dingguo does anything inappropriate again, I can smash his mansion by decree. Shen Yin! You not only did something inappropriate today, but also conspired to assassinate the current regent prince. I will flatten this place!”

In just a moment, the courtyard was filled with the stench of blood and violence. Lightning flashed and illuminated the surrounding area, showing pools of blood everywhere – in the front hall, on the stairs, in the drainage ditches.

In less than half an hour, only Shen Yin was left standing, the Duke of Dingguo looking like a cornered beast with disheveled clothes. He shouted, “Zhao Yuan, what do you plan to do with me, you traitor? Give me a quick death!”

Su Wang leaned forward, looking at Shen Yin like a jumping clown. “Shen Yin, you are of no use to me dead.” He straightened up and patted his restless Bai Yucong, showing his displeasure. “You should thank His Majesty for his mercy. I will exchange you for someone else.”

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