Chongyang Gate opened directly into the Ministry of State Affairs, with the Privy Council situated across from it.
Qin Wen had just brought Qing Yang and First Imperial Prince Yang Bin out from the government offices at the rear when Li Xiu led a dense mass of armored soldiers charging in. Xu Jing commanded a squad of scouts from the Bureau of Operations, heavily armed and following close behind.
The Bureau of Operations scouts all wielded iron-bound clubs. Even without immediately unleashing a massacre, they still beat down anyone who tried to obstruct them with their clubs, their momentum even more fierce and tiger-like than Li Xiu’s troops.
Witnessing this scene, even Shen Yang’s resolute face couldn’t help but show a trace of panic.
Beyond the Imperial Guard, there were also some scattered forces within the Imperial City.
The Bureau of Operations, which specialized in surveying mountains, rivers and terrain as well as reconnaissance of enemy intelligence, possessed a scout force of fewer than three hundred men.
Although the Bureau of Operations scouts mainly operated outside the capital region, when they returned to the capital and entered the Imperial City, they were not subject to the constraints of the Imperial Guard.
At this time, the Imperial Textile Bureau, with its authority to gather information about local customs from various provinces and present them to the imperial audience, had built exclusive official boat docks outside Jinghai Gate and maintained guard troops independent of the Imperial Guard. These troops, bearing the Empress Dowager’s edict, could even enter Cishou Palace directly.
These forces all seemed small in scale, but at critical moments they could play unexpectedly crucial roles.
It was difficult to imagine—if Lu Qingxia had already deployed the Imperial Textile Bureau’s guard troops into Chongwen Hall, isolating the Empress Dowager, Chen De, Li Changfeng and others from the outside world, then occupied Chongwen Hall to issue commands to the Imperial Guard in the names of the Empress Dowager, Chen De and Li Changfeng, how could they reverse such an adverse situation?
His Majesty had just been assassinated, his corpse still warm lying in the depths of Chongwen Hall. The Empress Dowager naturally became the highest authority of the Great Chu Empire, while Chen De and Li Changfeng were nominally the commander and deputy commander of the Imperial Guard.
They couldn’t even clear themselves of Noble Consort Wang’s collusion with the assassins—on what basis could they compete for control of the Imperial Guard?
Although over four hundred armored soldiers stood guard inside and outside the Ministry of State Affairs courtyard, these soldiers belonged separately to the Left Martial Wing Army and the Left and Right Martial Guard Armies, not subordinate to one another. Shen Yang had originally intended for them to monitor and check each other, but now this resulted in not a single leading military officer stepping forward to obstruct Li Xiu, Xu Jing and the others who were acting on the Empress Dowager’s edict.
Some of the guard soldiers felt unconvinced, but when Xu Jing led the Bureau of Operations scouts in chaotic beatings with their clubs, they could only retreat one after another.
Seeing this, Zheng Yu, Zheng Chang, Zhang Chao, Du Chongtao, Zhou Bingwu and dozens of other officials of various ranks all withdrew to the side. This caused most of the guards to also retreat to both sides under their respective superiors’ leadership.
Even Han Daochang and Han Duan silently withdrew to observe the situation.
In the vast courtyard before the Hall of State Affairs front hall, only Han Daoming remained, steeling himself to accompany Shen Yang, Yang En, Xue Ruogu, and Qin Wen standing with Qing Yang, the First Imperial Prince, and Daoist Yun Puzi, with merely eighty-some armored soldiers still guarding before them, preventing Li Xiu from approaching with his men.
Yang Zhitang didn’t directly retreat under the covered corridor, but neither did he stand together with Shen Yang and the others. Instead, he positioned himself in a middle ground, his expression unpredictable and his thoughts wandering.
Honestly speaking, that over one-fifth of the Ministry guards on duty could still, under the leadership of several lower-ranking officers, stand nervously before Shen Yang and the others without retreating to the side was quite surprising to Yang Zhitang. This also made him more hesitant—looking at this situation, Shen Yang and Yang En still commanded some popular support.
Yang Zhitang no longer cared what the truth behind Yang Yuanpu’s death actually was. What worried him more was whether, among the many princes and high ministers present, if they couldn’t reach consensus on the assassination case and the succession matter at the fastest speed—or if Shen Yang, Yang En, Han Daoming and others died violently in the Imperial City today—what reason was there to believe Han Qian wouldn’t send troops across the river?
“This is the Empress Dowager’s edict, summoning Noble Consort Wang and the First Imperial Prince for questioning…”
Li Xiu pressed on the sword at his waist. He halted his steps in the courtyard, and the dense mass of armored soldiers behind him immediately deployed into three cone-shaped battle formations, like three giant spears with their battle edge pointed directly at everyone in the courtyard. The atmosphere was so oppressive it made people feel suffocated, as if they could smell blood in the air.
Li Xiu didn’t order a charge to break through the dozens of guards with scattered formation standing before Shen Yang. He had someone deliver the edict to Shen Yang, demanding he hand over Princess Qing Yang and the First Imperial Prince for him to take away.
Xu Jing looked at Daoist Yun Puzi beside Qing Yang and said, “General Zhong just found evidence of the assassins’ hiding place in Chongfu Palace. We must also request Daoist Yun to accompany us on this trip.”
“Slander! Throwing a few broken weapons and tattered clothes into Chongfu Temple and you think you can frame this old Daoist as colluding with assassins?” Though Xu Jing and the others were pouring dirty water on them, making it difficult to defend themselves, Daoist Yun Puzi said coldly with a composed expression, “With so many Bureau of Operations scouts hidden in the capital, this old Daoist suspects Director Xu is the one colluding with the assassins.”
“Whether it’s framing or not, the Empress Dowager will discern for herself,” Li Xiu said with a gloomy expression, hand pressed on the sword at his waist.
At Li Xiu’s signal, his subordinate soldiers parted left and right, watching the Ministry guards before and around them.
“Even if Noble Consort Wang truly has suspicion of colluding with assassins, she should be jointly tried by the participating ministers. Li Xiu, do you truly intend to follow rebellious orders and commit treason?” Shen Yang stared at Li Xiu and demanded sharply.
“Minister Shen, you’re secretly harboring suspects—how can Li Xiu trust you? How can the many sons and brothers behind me trust you? His Majesty has just been assassinated, the new emperor is not yet enthroned—the Great Chu should naturally honor the Empress Dowager above all. Who dares call the Empress Dowager’s edict a rebellious order? Minister Shen, your audacity is truly enormous!” Li Xiu said without yielding an inch, like an unsheathed blade fixed on Shen Yang.
Everyone in the courtyard secretly broke into a cold sweat.
Even though dozens of guards stood before Shen Yang and the others, their formation was scattered. Apart from a few lower-ranking officers gritting their teeth and persisting, their subordinate soldiers clearly looked panicked and at a loss. Perhaps with just one order from Li Xiu, these people couldn’t withstand even one charge from Li Xiu’s elite troops behind him before being killed in rivers of blood.
At this moment, someone ran over from the government offices at the rear to report that several hundred more armored soldiers under Zhong Yanhu’s command were flanking toward the Ministry of State Affairs from the rear passages.
This news made the vast majority of people’s faces turn pale, none knowing whether continuing this stalemate would implicate them as well, leaving them to die without burial places.
Though hearing the commotion here, troops continued arriving one after another from other places, upon seeing the chaotic situation here, none dared casually get involved.
“Li Xiu, think of how your father swept across battlefields in those years, how imposing and mighty he was—enemy and allied soldiers and civilians alike both respected and feared him. Yet from the bottom of my heart, Yang En most respected the Prince’s sincere heart toward the realm,” Yang En stepped forward, staring at Li Xiu and asking, “I don’t believe the Prince’s two sons are both fools. I ask you one question—do you truly in your heart believe Noble Consort Wang colluded with assassins to assassinate His Highness?”
Li Xiu’s expression was gloomy and somber. Xu Jing laughed coldly, “Marquis Yang, whether Noble Consort Wang colluded with assassins, the Empress Dowager will certainly investigate thoroughly and give the Great Chu subjects and people a crystal clear explanation. Could Marquis Yang believe the Empress Dowager would wish His Majesty to have died under mysterious circumstances? Marquis Yang and Minister Shen insist on protecting Noble Consort Wang—could it be you’re waiting for reinforcements to cross the river?”
Seeing Xu Jing turn around and falsely accuse them of secretly colluding with Tangyi, Shen Yang and Yang En felt suffocated with anger.
“Many words are useless. Please have Noble Consort Wang, the First Imperial Prince, and Daoist Yun accompany us to see the Empress Dowager—the truth will be known.” Li Xiu urged again.
Qin Wen also sighed inwardly. By this point, Li Xiu couldn’t possibly still fail to see the suspicious points, but unless they could reveal the most cruel, bloody truth that would directly drag both the Han Mansion and Tangyi into chaos, eliminating the last trace of delusion in Li Changfeng and Li Xiu’s hearts, Qin Wen couldn’t imagine what reason Li Xiu or Li Changfeng would have not to choose to stand with the Empress Dowager and Lu Qingxia.
Struggle had always been cruel, and truth was never the most important thing.
Qin Wen even suspected that even if he and Daoist Yun Puzi spoke out the cruel truth, Li Xiu might turn around to rebuke them for talking nonsense before striking ruthlessly, killing everyone in the Ministry of State Affairs until rivers of blood flowed.
Sometimes things were very simple. If Li Changfeng and Li Xiu didn’t choose to stand with the Empress Dowager and Lu Qingxia at this moment, after the Empress Dowager and Lu Qingxia lost power, could they still fantasize that Yang Zhitang, Zheng Yu, Zhang Chao and others wouldn’t settle accounts with the Li family?
This was what being mired deep meant, wasn’t it?
At this moment, Han Daochang and Han Duan, who had retreated to the side, desperately made eye signals to Han Daoming standing uncertainly in the middle, wanting him to let go. They practically wanted to rush forward and pull Han Daoming aside to observe the situation.
Qing Yang grabbed Binzi’s hand, her face pale, involuntarily looking beseechingly at Han Daoming.
She knew that once she and Binzi were handed over again, the Han Mansion and Tangyi might still have the confidence and qualification to exchange interests with Cishou Palace, but the life and death of her and her son would fall completely under Lu Qingxia’s control.
Just as Han Daoming hesitated whether to withdraw, he heard a sharp rebuke from behind:
“Li Xiu, do you truly intend to help a tyrant do evil? Can you face Lord Li’s spirit in heaven? Will you trample Lord Li’s sincere heart toward the Great Chu into the mud?”
Han Daoming turned to look and saw from the narrow passage on the left side of the Hall of State Affairs, over a dozen palace eunuchs wielding short blades now walked out quickly, led by a one-armed man. He couldn’t help but call out in surprise, “Director Zhang…”
“Director Zhang, Deputy Director Jiang…” Seeing Zhang Ping and Jiang Huo appear at this moment, everyone was greatly shocked, not knowing whether they had been hiding in the Ministry of State Affairs all this time without anyone seeing them, or had just entered through the side gate, and why they were emerging from the passage behind the Hall of State Affairs.
Speaking of the Imperial Guard, perhaps there were still plenty of lower-ranking soldiers who didn’t recognize Shen Yang, Yang Zhitang, or Yang En—after all, during regular military drills, most soldiers stood in formation and could hardly see clearly the appearances of the observing generals on the martial arts platform. But the one-armed image of Director of Palace Attendants Zhang Ping had long been imprinted in the soldiers’ hearts.
Zhang Ping suddenly stepping forward to publicly rebuke Li Xiu for helping a tyrant do evil had an even stronger impact on the many soldiers in the courtyard than Yang En’s questioning earlier. They couldn’t help but wonder: could it be that the Director and Deputy Director possessed secrets unknown to outsiders?
“Li Xiu, do you truly believe the Second Imperial Prince beside the Empress Dowager is still your Li family’s descendant?” Zhang Ping ignored others’ reactions, staring at Li Xiu and demanding sharply.
“Director Zhang, what do you mean by this?” Li Xiu’s brows furrowed in anger, the sword at his waist drawn halfway out with a clang as he stared at Zhang Ping demanding an answer.
“Axiu, I’m not dead. The corpse in Changyang Courtyard was the palace maid who served me. She was Lu Qingxia’s person who wanted to kill me. Director Zhang and Deputy Director Jiang rescued me in time—the Second Imperial Prince in Cishou Palace, Director Zhang and Deputy Director Jiang just brought me to confirm, is not Lin’er either. They’ve switched him for someone else. Axiu, you and my father have all been deceived these past years…”
Among the dozen or so palace eunuchs walked out another thin small figure wearing a hooded robe. Walking down to the courtyard, the figure removed the hood, revealing a pale and thin small face…