Tonight’s events were like massive waves, one after another, unceasing.
The officials standing outside the inner palace gates watched in shock as Deng Yi returned.
This single trip had transformed him completely, as if he had become a different person.
The minor official in blue robes had become a powerful minister in crimson, wearing a tall ceremonial cap, with a purple-red silk sash hanging from his waist, while Imperial Guards spread out like a fan behind him.
This was truly an ascension to heaven.
“Lord Deng—Lord Deng.” One official opened his mouth and out of habit nearly called him “Deng Yi,” but fortunately corrected himself the next moment. “What are His Majesty’s instructions?”
Deng Yi produced the Imperial Seal: “His Majesty has appointed me as Grand Tutor to take charge of the overall situation.”
Grand Tutor! And the Imperial Seal! His Majesty had actually given the Imperial Seal to Deng Yi!
One must know that although the Crown Prince had been regent for so many years, while the Imperial Seal sat in the Emperor’s study and could be accessed, it had never been carried personally by the Crown Prince.
The officials immediately bowed in worship: “Long live His Majesty.”
Deng Yi put away the Imperial Seal and stepped forward to help them up: “Since His Majesty has entrusted me with such great responsibility, I ask that you all work together with me in unity. Once the situation stabilizes, there will surely be rewards.”
The officials were immediately stirred with excitement. Even though Deng Yi had risen to heaven in a single step, he still maintained his generous temperament—see how straightforward and decisive his promises were!
“Lord Deng, just give your orders. We stand with you,” they all declared their loyalty.
Some even lifted their robes, ready to rush out and kill the enemy.
Deng Yi stopped them, saying: “Tonight we have only one mission—to guard the inner palace and ensure His Majesty’s safety. As for other matters, we don’t interfere.”
He looked toward the outer Imperial City, where earlier there had also been sounds of battle, likely the forces of the Third Prince and Crown Prince fighting for control of the city.
“No matter how they fight to the death, as long as they don’t approach the inner palace, they remain princes,” he said, looking toward the outer halls ahead, then turned to give orders to the commander of the Emperor’s Imperial Guards beside him. “But the moment anyone approaches the inner palace, they become traitors.”
Traitors could be killed, even if they were the Emperor’s own sons.
“Kill without mercy.”
Whether they came to seek rescue or to force the palace, those seeking rescue were already doomed with no need for saving, and those forcing the palace naturally deserved death even more.
The Imperial Guard commander acknowledged the order.
Hearing these words, the officials felt their hearts skip with fear. What ruthless and merciless resolve! They didn’t know if this was the Emperor’s intention or Deng Yi’s, but regardless of whose it was, since they didn’t have to risk their lives now, the officials breathed easier again. They declared that if anyone dared to storm the palace and offend His Majesty, they would be the first to rush forward and fight to the death. Then they asked: “What can we do now?”
“What we need to do now isn’t about the present, but about what to do when dawn breaks and after the fact,” Deng Yi said, looking toward the outer halls. “I’m going to the Grand Tutor’s Hall.”
The outer halls were where court assemblies were held, and important ministers all had their own places for daily administration.
Now that Deng Yi was Grand Tutor, naturally he should go to the Grand Tutor’s place. The officials all agreed. Deng Yi arranged personnel to guard the inner palace properly, then selected troops. In full armor and carrying weapons, they surrounded him in a dark mass as they headed toward the outer halls.
The heavy footsteps made the ground tremble, and the torches they held blazed so brightly they turned the night into scorching white.
Deng Yi actually hadn’t expected that when he embarked on this path, he would be in such a different form.
But it wasn’t too surreal either. His steps were steady, his state of mind calm, as if he had known long ago that such a day would come.
“Lord Deng is so formidable—”
He suddenly thought of what that young girl had said. Yes, if that girl knew he had now become Grand Tutor, she wouldn’t be shocked. She would only say, “Lord Deng is just that formidable.”
That’s right, Lord Deng was just that formidable. He had risen from a pavilion chief to a clerk in the county office, and after ten years, from Palace Gate Commander to Grand Tutor, holding the Imperial Seal and wearing the tiger tally at his waist—what was so strange about that?
“Grand Tutor, my lord.” An official thought of something and came closer, already quite accustomed to calling him Grand Tutor, as if it had always been so. “How should we deal with the former Grand Tutor?”
Although the Emperor had not attended to state affairs for many years, it wasn’t that there was no Grand Tutor at court—the position of Grand Tutor had always existed.
After matters were settled, when the two Grand Tutors met, wouldn’t it be awkward?
Deng Yi smiled: “I will deal with him in advance so he won’t be put in a difficult position.”
The way he said it—truly befitting a Grand Tutor. The official shrank back his head and even more firmly and enthusiastically led the way: “Grand Tutor, follow me.”
……
……
The burning torches on the outer city walls illuminated the bodies lying scattered on the ground.
Clearly there had been a fierce battle here.
Although the current scene wasn’t gruesome, the fighting had not yet stopped.
Five figures appeared below the barbican’s city wall. There were no more lights here, and they hid in the darkness, moving very lightly with almost no sound of footsteps. But just as they were about to cross into the gate tunnel, someone like a black cat swept up from the darkness.
In one leap and landing, the person in front had his throat cut. Before those on either side could react, feet viciously kicked their throats. The three fell to their knees without making a sound and died.
The two behind retreated quickly while simultaneously raising their gleaming long sabers to slash forward, but they were still a step too late. That person pounced forward, limbs wrapping around both people simultaneously. With a flying spin, all three landed together. Accompanied by the clanging sound of sabers hitting the ground, two of them stopped moving.
A figure stood up from among them, looking down at the fresh corpses on the ground. He lit a fuse and threw it on them, then tossed nearby scattered torches over. The flames immediately leaped up whooshing, instantly swallowing the darkness. The barbican’s main gate tower became bright and glaring.
That figure standing in the midst was like a long spear, gleaming coldly, intimidating the watching eyes ahead.
“Yanlai, Yanlai.”
A shout rang out from the watchtower beside them, and a rope ladder was lowered.
The figure took a few quick steps and leaped up, grabbing the rope ladder and climbing up nimbly like a cat.
He flipped over the city wall and landed inside. The other Imperial Guards quickly pulled up the rope ladder.
There were torches here, illuminating the person who landed—it was Xie Yanlai. At this moment, Xie Yanlai looked even more terrifying than when he’d been whipped on the street that day. His face and body were covered in blood, whether his own or others’—
He raised his hand to lightly wipe his cheek, and what was originally a drop of blood became a smear, forming a stark contrast with his fair skin, ghastly in the firelight.
The ones who had pulled him up were seven or eight Imperial Guards. Their faces and bodies were also bloody, but much better off compared to Xie Yanlai.
“Those bastards will come again,” one of them said with a pale face. “We have too few people.”
Xie Yanlai looked past them toward the rear. This was the palace city wall. Torches dotted it sporadically, revealing the scattered Imperial Guards standing atop it.
About several dozen men.
Outside the barbican, the enemy forces numbered at least three hundred.
Moreover, sounds of battle still came from the distant night. The entire capital seemed to be burning and in chaos.
Who knew how many more troops would charge toward the Imperial City.
“Yanlai,” one Imperial Guard said. “Let’s retreat to the inner palace.”
There were still many of the Emperor’s Imperial Guards in the inner palace, and it was also the safest place.
Xie Yanlai turned to look at the silent inner palace.
“With such fighting outside, there’s not a sound from inside. Not even one person has come out to ask. Do you think they don’t know, or do they know everything but don’t care?”
“They don’t care about the Crown Prince’s life or death, they don’t care about the Third Prince’s evil deeds. Do you think if we run there to seek rescue, they’ll care?”
We’d probably be shot dead by a rain of arrows before we even got close.