When Li Chi and Gao Xining were outside the Eastern Warm Chamber playing with little Tuotuo’er, the young eunuch Ding Qing’an announced that the Imperial Guards Commander Xiahou Zuo was requesting an audience.

Li Chi glanced back, and Xiahou Zuo was already walking toward them.

Without even asking, Li Chi knew why Xiahou Zuo had come.

He was going to the Qing Garden tomorrow, and there was bound to be trouble inside the Qing Garden — now that Xiahou Zuo knew, how could he possibly allow it?

Given Xiahou Zuo’s temperament, he couldn’t be bothered to deal with any Western Regions scheme or non-scheme.

Western Regions people attempting an assassination?

Who couldn’t just decide how to frame that?

Li Chi’s intention was to make the Western Regions assassination attempt become a reality. Xiahou Zuo’s intention was: you are the Great Ning’s Emperor — if you say it happened, it happened.

“Your Majesty, Empress.”

Xiahou Zuo bowed respectfully. Li Chi shot him a sidelong glance: “There’s no one else around, stop with the formalities. You’ve come to scold me, haven’t you?”

Xiahou Zuo said: “How would this minister dare scold Your Majesty — this minister thinks Your Majesty is brilliant and magnificent…”

Li Chi: “Nonsense. In that split second when you glared at me just now, the things you were cursing me with in that fleeting look could have filled more than a hundred characters — yet when it came to praising me, you wracked your brain and squeezed out only ‘brilliant and magnificent.'”

Xiahou Zuo said: “Your Majesty is unaware — when cursing someone, words come fast, that is natural, but when praising someone…”

Li Chi: “And you still say you didn’t come to scold me?”

Gao Xining burst out laughing.

Xiahou Zuo said: “Your Majesty’s trip to the Qing Garden is completely unnecessary. This minister can take men right now and arrest every last Western Regions person. Then, picking out those Your Majesty wants to keep alive, we kill the rest — guaranteed not a single wrongful execution. After the killing, we send declarations of war to all the Western Regions nations. Don’t they know full well in their own hearts?”

Li Chi: “Not the least bit elegant.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “This is not the kind of situation that calls for elegance. The fact that they harbored intent to assassinate is enough.”

Li Chi said: “Day to day I am busy handling state affairs, so I find it rather dull.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “This minister will accompany Your Majesty in a game of hide-and-seek. Just don’t go to the Qing Garden.”

Gao Xining could not bear to listen any longer, and burst out laughing, bewildering even little Tuotuo’er.

Li Chi laughed: “What are you afraid of? My martial skills are not unknown to you, and the abilities of the palace guards are something you know full well…”

Xiahou Zuo bowed: “Your Majesty once said that the reason Your Majesty has never been defeated is because you never underestimate any opponent. No matter how strong or how weak, once someone is your opponent, you give your full effort to meet them.”

Li Chi: “Those are my words.”

Xiahou Zuo raised his head to look at Li Chi: “But Your Majesty is now underestimating the Western Regions people.”

Li Chi suddenly came to a realization and looked toward Gao Xining: “Did you invite him here? Did you leak the information?”

Gao Xining: “Your Majesty knows that when women are chatting, every single one of us loves to gossip. Spreading a bit of idle talk — how could that count as leaking information?”

“Besides, Your Majesty can’t only blame me. I exchanged a few words of gossip with Yili, and Yili exchanged a few words of gossip with her own brother.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “This minister is not a woman, but this minister also feels that passing along gossip doesn’t count as leaking.”

Li Chi sighed.

He pointed behind him: “Shall we take a walk in the garden?”

Xiahou Zuo: “We can take a walk wherever you like, but Your Majesty will absolutely not be able to persuade this minister.”

Li Chi said: “Let me try.”

Gao Xining picked up Tuotuo’er: “Walk — we’re going too.”

Li Chi: “What do you need to come for?”

Gao Xining: “If I don’t listen to gossip, what am I going to pass along?”

Li Chi fell silent for a moment before giving a nod: “Fair point.”

In a garden within the Weiyang Palace, Li Chi walked and spoke: “The situation among the Western Regions nations is not as simple as it appears, and the strategy the Great Ning must formulate toward the Western Regions people is not as simple as just fighting one battle.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “This minister understands. But however simple or complicated it is, Your Majesty has no need to take personal risks.”

Li Chi said: “I am not underestimating the Western Regions people — I would certainly take every precaution.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “Your Majesty also once said that in matters of attack, one may speak of complete preparation — but in matters of defense, there is no such thing as complete preparation.”

Li Chi: “You use my own words to counter me — you should know that when you’ve cornered me to the point where I have nothing left to say, I am capable of throwing shame to the wind.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “Your Majesty may cast aside shame, but Your Majesty cannot cast aside your life.”

Li Chi froze.

He looked at Xiahou Zuo, and Xiahou Zuo looked back at him.

Xiahou Zuo said: “Your Majesty, this minister said before that this minister is not truly suited for the post of Imperial Guards Commander. Because as long as this minister holds this position, this minister’s heart can never ease. In everything this minister’s eyes take in, there is danger at every turn.”

Li Chi gave a slow nod: “I know.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “A group of Western Regions people — nothing more than a pretext for launching the western campaign. That pretext could be an assassination attempt on the Great Ning’s Emperor, or it could be an assassination attempt on the Great Ning’s Imperial Guards Commander.”

Li Chi shook his head: “That will not do.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “This minister can fabricate a false one.”

Li Chi’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Xiahou Zuo said: “The Western Regions people know that to assassinate Your Majesty, they must first kill Xiahou Zuo. So they act against Xiahou Zuo first — this too is reasonable.”

Li Chi sighed: “Very well then… when going to the Qing Garden tomorrow, you come with me. Whether it ends up as an assassination attempt against the Great Ning’s Emperor or the Great Ning’s Grand General — since we’ll both be there, let them pick one?”

Xiahou Zuo: “Your Majesty has truly started throwing shame to the wind…”

Li Chi laughed: “I said so, didn’t I — when reasoned argument fails, I have only shamelessness left.”

Gao Xining said: “I’m going too.”

Li Chi and Xiahou Zuo turned around at the same time: “You cannot go!”

His Majesty was still His Majesty — so no matter how much Xiahou Zuo said, it was all for nothing. Whatever Li Chi had decided to do, he was always going to do it.

So Xiahou Zuo had no choice but to follow along, just as he himself had said — he was now the Imperial Guards Commander, and in his eyes, there was danger at every turn.

The official guesthouse.

Manlai Yaman was in the middle of reading when a servant came in and handed him a second intelligence report delivered by his spies.

After reading it, Manlai Yaman gave a slight nod and casually burned the letter.

Shortly afterward, Gan Luo was summoned by Manlai Yaman. The moment he arrived, he asked: “Has new intelligence come in?”

Manlai Yaman handed Gan Luo a cup of tea: “Just now, my contact on the Jialou Kingdom’s side sent another sealed letter, confirming that the Ning Emperor will definitely come to the Qing Garden tomorrow. Moreover, the Ning Emperor appears to have become aware of something — he intends to bring the Imperial Guards Commander Xiahou Zuo with him.”

Upon hearing this, Gan Luo’s expression visibly shifted.

If the Ning Emperor had truly become aware and was on guard, then in this city of Chang’an — never mind these specially selected fighters of theirs — even specially selected immortals wouldn’t have a chance against the eighty thousand Tiger Guard troops of the Great Ning’s Chang’an garrison.

He possessed the capability of a great swordmaster of the Sword Sect, that was true — but he was no fool.

Before eighty thousand elite imperial guards, even a great swordmaster was like an ant before a giant, with no room to resist or struggle.

Gan Luo looked at Manlai Yaman: “Where is the sealed letter? I want to see it.”

Manlai Yaman pointed at the ashes on the ground.

Gan Luo sighed and said: “If the Ning Emperor is truly already on guard, then the people set to act inside the Qing Garden — not a single one of them will make it out alive.”

Manlai Yaman: “That is a good thing.”

Gan Luo said: “For your Xiaoyueshi Kingdom’s people, it is certainly a good thing — that way, the Jialou Kingdom becomes the first target of the Ning Kingdom’s western campaign.”

“But for the Heiwu Empire, it is not a good thing. What the Heiwu Empire must do is exhaust every means to eliminate the Ning Emperor.”

Gan Luo looked at Manlai Yaman: “You also understand that the Empire’s promise to extend protection to the Xiaoyueshi Kingdom was contingent upon the assassination of the Ning Emperor. If the Ning Emperor cannot be killed, the Empire has no reason to protect you.”

A flash of displeasure crossed Manlai Yaman’s eyes, though he said nothing.

He rose and paced about the room in thought.

After a moment, he looked at Gan Luo: “Things are in fact unfolding exactly as I calculated. Yesterday I also told you — inside the Qing Garden, there is in truth no opportunity.”

Gan Luo said: “If the Ning Emperor brings a large contingent of imperial guards, the road in between will also offer no opportunity.”

Manlai Yaman said: “Yet I was just thinking — we believe there is no opportunity in the Qing Garden. A person as self-assured as the Ning Emperor would of course also believe he has everything in the Qing Garden under control.”

Gan Luo’s brow furrowed slightly: “National Advisor, what do you mean by this?”

Manlai Yaman said: “The Ning Emperor will be on guard against assassins hidden within the Jialou Kingdom’s delegation. But he would not expect us to kill everyone in the Jialou Kingdom together.”

Gan Luo was taken aback. A moment later, something clicked: “Poison?”

He shook his head: “From what I know, the Ning Emperor himself has quite considerable medical knowledge, and the people guarding him closely are equally formidable in both medicine and martial arts. Poisoning might work against ordinary people, but against an emperor — it would be laughable.”

Manlai Yaman said: “My contact tells me the Jialou Kingdom’s delegation brought a good deal of the Jialou Kingdom’s distinctive fine wine with them.”

Gan Luo asked: “How could an emperor so easily drink wine brought by Western Regions people?”

Manlai Yaman said: “I can arrange for someone to act as a death warrior. The wine offered as tribute to the Great Ning Emperor — he drinks the first bowl himself.”

Gan Luo continued to shake his head: “The chances of success are negligibly small.”

Manlai Yaman said: “There is no other way now. If we try a direct assault, it would be better to at least gamble on the poisoning approach.”

Just as they were speaking, someone outside suddenly came striding quickly toward them. At the sound of hurried footsteps, both men fell silent at once.

Xiaoyueshi Kingdom’s military officer Ao Lou came running in from outside. One look at his expression and it was clear something unwelcome had occurred.

“National Advisor — this is not good.”

Ao Lou ran in, breathless, and said: “Just now, someone from the Weiyang Palace came to deliver an imperial edict, commanding us to enter the Qing Garden first thing tomorrow morning.”

Manlai Yaman’s expression changed. He looked at Gan Luo, and Gan Luo’s expression changed as well.

“Was the edict delivered only to us, or were all the other nations’ delegations also commanded to go to the Qing Garden tomorrow morning?”

“Everyone.”

Ao Lou replied: “The Ning Kingdom official who came to deliver the edict just now said that the Ning Emperor will host a banquet in the Qing Garden tomorrow to receive all the envoys from the various nations, including all personnel accompanying each delegation. Not only must the officials of each nation attend — the merchants who came along are also required to be present.”

At this, both Manlai Yaman and Gan Luo felt their hearts clench hard.

This didn’t look at all like the Great Ning Emperor throwing a banquet to entertain the Western Regions delegations — it looked far more like rounding everyone up at once to sweep the net clean in one fell swoop…

“There’s nothing to be done.”

Manlai Yaman looked at Gan Luo: “If we don’t go now, the Ning people will move against us directly. Since we all have to be there, there may actually be opportunities to be found in the chaos.”

Gan Luo drew a deep breath and said: “Whoever doesn’t go has guilt written all over them — we have to go.”

He thought in silence for a moment, then said: “National Advisor, arrange your people as quickly as possible. I am heading back now to muster my own people. The plan to ambush on the road is cancelled. Everyone prepares themselves — even if it means total annihilation, find an opportunity in the Qing Garden to move against the Ning Emperor.”

A flicker of something passed through Manlai Yaman’s eyes — a hint of dissatisfaction, perhaps.

But he still said nothing, simply giving a nod: “Go back and gather your people first.”

In truth, for a man of such deep cunning as himself, even he had not anticipated that the Ning Emperor would suddenly make such a move.

Originally, since only the Jialou Kingdom’s people were staying in the Qing Garden, framing the Jialou Kingdom would have been no great difficulty.

Now, with dozens of nations’ delegations all going to the Qing Garden simultaneously — if something happened to the Ning Emperor, who could wash their hands of it?

Ning Emperor… do you truly intend, with one kingdom alone, to make war against dozens of Western Regions nations? Is that why you are pinning the crime of assassinating you on all of them at once?

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