Chapter 109
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Xue Yao’s mother, though unwilling to return to the Xue family for refuge herself, urged Xue Yao to seek shelter from Old Madam Xue. She suggested proposing a marriage alliance or establishing a new household to minimize involvement with his paternal grandfather.
Xue Yao naturally didn’t agree and reassured his mother that the Emperor would protect his grandfather.
He himself didn’t believe the current puppet emperor could safeguard anyone. The Emperor might struggle to ensure his own safety because in three days, the annual ritual at the Circular Mound Altar would take place.
Every winter solstice, the Emperor had to perform the ritual for heaven and earth, walking to the Circular Mound Altar on that day.
Surrounding the Emperor on the journey were the ceremonial escort team, with nearly two hundred musicians following behind. It was practically the perfect opportunity for an assassination.
To guard against the Third Prince’s men, Lu Jinan arranged a formidable military defense along the route from the Emperor’s departure from the palace gates to the Temple of Heaven.
On the winter solstice, seemingly colder than previous years, Xue Yao accompanied the Fifth and Sixth Princes, waiting in the Ministry of Rites for news of the Emperor’s safe return to the palace.
The oppression of the past year made the two princes more reserved in speech than before.
Xue Yao gazed out of the window, rubbing his icy hands, reminiscing about how, in previous years, the chubby cub’s face would become his own little hand warmer at this time.
No matter how cold the weather, his chubby cub always remained warm.
Lost in his thoughts, Xue Yao noticed a patrol of guards passing by the courtyard gate for the fifth time – the same patrol, and he could almost recognize the leader’s face.
Xue Yao immediately shared this observation with the Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince said, “Most of the imperial guards have been reassigned to protect the Second Prince. In our area, this patrol might be the only security presence left.”
Xue Yao found it abnormal. “Even when there were more people around, we never had guards patrolling the study hall so frequently.”
The Sixth Prince quickly grasped the situation. “No wonder something felt off. This patrol passes around the study hall every so often, like they’re specifically circling us.”
Unsettled, Xue Yao turned to look at the courtyard gate outside the window.
Shortly after, the same patrol of guards indeed passed by once again.
Xue Yao promptly turned back and whispered to the two, “We need to leave here. When they pass the south gate again, we’ll escape from the west window and head to the training ground to find Fourth Zhang. He can help us flee the palace.”
“Who are these patrol guards?”
The Fifth Prince, having observed their movements, confidently answered, “Certainly not palace personnel. Their posture is different from the imperial guards.”
Xue Yao could only tell that the armor of these individuals didn’t fit well. They had chosen a time of lax security to impersonate imperial guards, likely orchestrated by the Third Prince.
They must shake off these impostors!
When the patrol passed by the south window again, Xue Yao, accompanied by the two princes, climbed over the west window and reached the western side of the courtyard.
The courtyard’s walls were at least ten feet high, but thanks to the Fifth Prince’s nimble skills, he effortlessly scaled the wall, pulling up the slightly less agile Sixth Prince.
The brothers, with Xue Yao in tow, leaped over the wall together and sprinted towards the training ground.
•••
In the early hours of the morning, the celestial ceremony had progressed to the initial offerings.
The altar was set on the three-tiered Temple of Heaven, with the Emperor standing at the central point of the top tier, surrounded by dozens of individuals standing in rows along the white jade railing.
The Third Prince, now Prince Yu, stood at the forefront of the two rows on the east side of the Emperor.
Typically, there were no imperial guards stationed around the altar during the celestial ceremony, but in this exceptional circumstance, to ensure safety, Lu Jinan had ordered layers of guards to stand inside the railings on the lower two tiers, guarding the Emperor.
Lu Jinan, positioned in the second row behind Prince Yu, hadn’t let down his guard since the Emperor left the palace gates. As they walked to this point, he vigilantly scanned beyond the surrounding guards, observing for any signs of disturbance.
In the midst of this eerie quiet, the sudden unsheathing of blades echoed, catching everyone off guard.
A high-ranking guard on the second tier of the Temple of Heaven abruptly leaped onto the altar, swinging a blade towards the Emperor!
In this unexpected assassination attempt, even more perplexing events unfolded —
Surprisingly, Prince Yu stepped forward to protect the puppet Emperor before the Crown Prince, barehandedly intercepting a high-ranking guard capable of taking on ten men. He ensured the safety of the puppet Emperor.
Lu Jinan was a step behind, with the other imperial guards trailing even further. Astonishingly, the defector attempting the assassination was apprehended on the spot by Old Third.
The Emperor, wearing a bewildered expression, stood behind his “guardian brother.”
Lu Jinan furrowed his brow and clenched his fists, having already guessed the plot orchestrated by Old Third.
As expected, the captured assassin confessed on the spot, claiming Lu Jinan had instructed him to assassinate the Emperor.
The absurd framing was disbelieved even by the surrounding imperial guards. Therefore, when Prince Yu, honored for his successful protection, ordered the guards to seize Prince Rui, not a single soldier in the packed Temple of Heaven moved.
Lu Jinan’s face remained expressionless as he calmly informed his third brother, “The Governor-General of Huguang has surrounded the capital with his forces. Your uncle, Tong Ningzhao, arrived at the Kangwo front line last month and couldn’t attend to you.”
Having spoken, Lu Jinan ordered the apprehension and interrogation of both the assassin and the Third Prince. The imperial guards immediately followed orders, unsheathing their swords!
However, the tips of some guards’ blades suddenly turned, thrusting into the chests of their comrades beside them.
An assasinated guard’s long blade slipped from his hand, clanging as it hit the ground. Through the mist of blood engulfing his chest, he looked in astonishment at his brother-in-arms who had attacked him.
With blood-soaked blades withdrawn from their chests, a group of guards, wearing expressions of confusion and disbelief, fell to the ground.
There was a spy for the Third Prince within the Imperial Guards!
Sensing trouble, Lu Jinan swiftly acted, snatching a nearby imperial guard’s longsword, uncertain if they were friend or foe.
However, Old Third was prepared, pulling the Emperor back a few steps. Immediately, a squad of imperial guards positioned themselves in front of him, their blades pointed at Lu Jinan!
The peripheral imperial guards unsheathed their swords one after another, among them were Lu Jinan’s men and Prince Yu’s men.
Amidst the chaos, imperial guards, unsure of friend or foe, retreated to avoid being ambushed. No one bothered about the Emperor’s well-being.
“Eldest Brother, your treachery knows no bounds. On the day of the celestial ceremony, you deliberately orchestrated imperial guards to surround the Emperor, plotting a rebellion under the guise of an assassination!” Old Third sneered.
Lu Jinan remained composed. “Third Brother, surrender willingly. I anticipated your move today. Bribery alone won’t be enough. There are eighty thousand soldiers outside the city awaiting orders. Your funds won’t convince these turncoat imperial guards to sacrifice themselves for you. Officers and soldiers, heed my command!” Without waiting for a response, Lu Jinan’s gaze turned cold as he issued orders, “The capital is surrounded. Those misled by the rebel Prince Yu, if you repent promptly, no blame will be placed upon you. Capture the rebels alive, and you’ll be rewarded with gold and the title of Deputy General.”
This combination of kindness and severity left the mutinous imperial guards, who had their blades pointed at him, uncertain and visibly conflicted.
The Third Prince, nonchalant, sneered. “Eighty thousand troops, and Eldest Brother wants to flaunt them like this? Such a meager force might not even breach the city gates, I presume?”
“Open your eyes and see clearly. The city’s defending imperial guards have all been mobilized to protect the Emperor. Who can withstand the army outside the city now?”
“Indeed, I must thank Eldest Brother for making it all possible.” Old Third laughed. “Now, atop the Nine Gates City Towers, not a single imperial guard remains — all are soldiers loyal to my uncle, Tong Ningzhao.”
“Impossible!” The Emperor, standing behind him, exclaimed urgently. “Tong Ningzhao was ordered into battle last month!”
Old Third turned to his second brother with a smile. “Your Majesty, urgent matters arise. With traitors like this by your side, General Tong must prioritize eliminating internal threats before obeying orders to resist the Wokou pirates.”
The Emperor’s face turned pale.
“I wonder if our Great Qi’s 150,000 elite Tong forces can withstand Eldest Brother’s motley crew of 80,000 inexperienced soldiers.” Old Third sneered, abruptly dropping his smile. He ordered sternly, “Capture Prince Rui!”
“Who dares!” Lu Jinan raised his sword, his gaze sweeping slowly across the traitorous imperial guards surrounding him. They involuntarily took a step back under that piercing gaze.
“What are you waiting for!” Old Third roared. “General Tong’s 150,000 troops guard the city gates. By now, they’ve likely slaughtered those 80,000 traitorous rebels. Do you want to join the rebels, dying beneath the blades of the Tong army?”
The group of imperial guards hesitated no more, simultaneously brandishing their swords and advancing towards Lu Jinan.
The Emperor on the altar shouted down to the imperial guards, ordering them to protect Prince Rui.
Old Third followed up with a threat, “Traitors, deceived by false intelligence, the captured assassin has already revealed evidence of Prince Rui’s treason. Anyone who dares act recklessly will be tried for treason against the nation!”
Lu Jinan, facing overwhelming odds, suddenly felt a chill approaching from behind. Turning around, he wielded his sword to block, knocking away an arrow!
It was then that he looked towards the direction from which the arrows were shot and discovered archers lying in ambush on nearby rooftops.
Lu Jinan was taken aback, hastily glancing around the rooftops. Before confirming how many ambushes were in place, arrows shot in from three directions!
A sharp whistling sound—
“Big Brother!” The Emperor shouted with strained effort but couldn’t stop the arrow aimed at Lu Jinan’s back!
A muffled clang!
Lu Jinan deflected two arrows, expecting the inevitable pain in his back. To his surprise, the concealed arrow had already fallen to the ground, broken in two.
“Who’s there!” Prince Yu, unable to see how the arrow meant for his eldest brother had been deflected, seized the Emperor, attempting to use him as leverage against the unknown assailant.
When he turned back, he found a soldier in armor standing before him, facing Lu Jinan.
Seeing the unexpected figure, Lu Jinan’s eyes gradually widened, his expression filled with astonishment.
The surrounding imperial guards, shocked by the sudden appearance of this figure, were about to advance with their blades, but Prince Yu restrained them.
Old Third recognized the familiar armor of the person before him as belonging to Tong family’s army. He excitedly approached. “Have you wiped out those worthless forces outside the city?”
“The forces outside the city? Aren’t the worthless ones standing at the city gates?” The figure in the Tong’s armor slowly turned around, revealing a pair of alluring tea-colored pupils. In those eyes, Old Third saw his face distort with surprise.
“You… you barbaric mongrel. Aren’t you dead?!” After more than a year, Prince Yu could hardly recognize the young man before him, towering over him by half a head. It turned out to be Lu Qian, his seventh brother who had been missing for over a year!
The unfamiliar and ominous aura made Prince Yu tremble involuntarily. He took two steps back, attempting to grab the Emperor, but Lu Qian lifted a finger.
His ankle seemed to be struck by a stone, causing him to lose balance, and ended up kneeling before Lu Qian.
“Protect the Emperor!” Prince Yu reached out, grabbing the trousers of the imperial guard beside him. An inexplicable shiver ran through him, urging him to grasp anything within reach to shield against the approaching figure.
It seemed he had forgotten that thousands of imperial guards present were under his control. He kept shouting frantically, “Go! Go to Dongzhi Gate and summon General Tong to protect the Emperor!”
Lu Qian, blocked a few steps away, spoke softly, “General Tong won’t be coming. Hasn’t Third Brother recognized this armor?”
Prince Yu was startled, realizing only now why this armor looked so familiar, allowing him to recognize it at a glance.
It was undoubtedly the armor belonging to his uncle, Tong Ningzhao!
“Impossible! How can 80,000 rabble stand against my uncle?”
Lu Qian tilted his head, a puzzled expression on his face. “What about the five feudal princes? Third Brother relied heavily on Master Ma. The imperial uncles must be disappointed.”
Prince Yu’s face turned ashen in an instant!
A few months ago, Ma Qiuming, a defector from the Crown Prince’s faction, had informed Prince Yu that Prince Rui was conspiring with the feudal princes.
In the Emperor’s name, Prince Yu had curtailed the power of the feudal princes, pinning the blame on Lu Jinan. He falsely claimed that the Emperor, influenced by Prince Rui, had decided to reduce the feudal princes’ authority.
Now, Lu Qian’s words woke him up. Ma Qiuming had been pretending to defect! Collaborating with this hidden bastard, he had orchestrated a situation that turned all the feudal princes against him!
“Impossible… guards… guards… seize him for me!” Prince Yu struggled to stand, yelling with spit flying. “Seize the traitor for this Prince!”
As the imperial guards were about to move forward, horn blasts echoed from all directions, accompanied by countless shouts and the thundering of hooves—
“Punish the traitor against the throne! Protect the country!”
“Punish the traitor against the throne! Protect the country!”
The soldiers’ shouts grew louder and closer.
Prince Yu looked around in shock. A sea of soldiers, from all directions, surrounded the altar!
“He’s a traitor…” Prince Yu stumbled to stand, pointing wildly at Prince Ning, shouting vehemently. “He’s a traitor! He’s a traitor!”
“In my humble reign, I have upheld the ancestral legacy for twenty-seven years, day and night, striving for the prosperity of the nation…”
Lu Qian’s expression turned calm. He stared at Prince Yu, solemnly reciting the late Emperor’s testament word for word—
“The eldest son, noble and virtuous, following the ancestral teachings, understanding the will of the people, should have ascended to the throne. However, due to the lack of news about his safety, for the time being, another shall be chosen. Designate the virtuous Prince Ning as the heir, and let the civil and military officials unite together…”
Lu Qian squinted, enunciating the last few words deliberately. “To safeguard the ancestral legacy for countless years!”
Upon hearing the late Emperor’s testament, tears welled up in the eyes of the surrounding imperial guards.
“Punish the traitor against the throne! Protect the country!”
It was unclear who shouted this slogan among the imperial guards. Immediately after, all the blade tips simultaneously changed direction—
All pointing towards the Third Prince, Prince Yu!
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