Throughout Gaoding City there was laughter and joy everywhere.

Every household had hung red lanterns at their doors and pasted up couplets.

A festive atmosphere could be seen everywhere!

Red was everywhere.

Looking very harmonious.

Without the slightest disturbance.

Just like previous years, everyone looked forward to family reunions on New Year’s Eve.

Household happiness!

Yet this calm before the storm was so quiet it felt terrifying.

Finally it was the day before the annual sacrifice.

Late at night, the city gates had already closed.

Silence everywhere!

As if someone had deliberately “cleaned up”!

A procession of armored soldiers arrived at the city gate.

The leader was called Zhu Yuan!

He exchanged a look with the guards at the gate.

He instructed: “The time has come—open the gates.”

The guards followed his instructions and ordered people to open all three great gates of the city.

Outside the city there was only the sound of cold wind blowing, making one’s heart go numb.

The people on the city tower lit three torches.

Waving them about!

As if signaling!

After the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, two thousand troops arrived at the city gate as expected.

They were all very cautious, not saying a word.

One after another they were arranged to enter the city.

Zhu Yuan said to the guards watching the gate: “The Marquis has ordered that tomorrow when the annual sacrifice begins, the city gates must be closed. No messages may leave the palace grounds.”

“Understood!”

Prince Huyi only had one thousand two hundred troops within Gaoding City!

Most troops were deployed outside the city.

Once something happened at the palace, someone would bring word out of the city, and then the several thousand troops outside the palace would enter the city to rescue the sovereign.

Marquis Pingyang had already made arrangements—once the city gates closed, even if something happened at the palace and the message couldn’t get out, even if people outside the palace learned of it, they wouldn’t be able to enter then.

And those two thousand troops successively entered the city, dispersing to various locations, deploying outside the palace gates.

But—

Zhu Yuan quickly discovered an abnormality!

Footprints on the ground!

Footprints stained with red soil!

Suspicion arose in his heart.

He asked the guards: “The Marquis’s troops came from Ten-Li Slope outside the palace. There shouldn’t be any red clay roads on the way here—how is it that these soldiers have red clay on their shoes?”

The guard shook his head: “This… I’m not clear.”

“Hmm?”

Strange!

Could the route have changed?

Zhu Yuan pulled a young soldier aside: “Did you come from Ten-Li Slope?”

The young soldier answered: “Yes.”

“How did the red clay get on your feet?”

“Because we were worried about being discovered, the earlier arrangement had us take a detour and cross over a mountain, which is why we stepped in all that red clay.” The young soldier said.

“I see!” Zhu Yuan evidently didn’t suspect further and waved his hand. “Be careful and keep up.”

“Yes.”

The young soldier caught up with the formation and according to the originally deployed plan, headed toward the east gate direction of the palace!

After all two thousand troops had fully entered the city, Zhu Yuan gave some instructions, ordering those guards to keep careful watch over the city gates.

“Tomorrow without the Marquis’s order, you absolutely cannot open the city gates.”

“Yes!”

Only then did he leave!

Returning to report to Marquis Pingyang!

At this very moment, at the Prime Minister’s residence.

It was already the latter half of the night.

Gong Chi couldn’t sleep. He was in the ancestral hall of the residence, looking at his son’s memorial tablet.

His expression was calm!

His eyes carried sorrow.

He hadn’t moved a step for a long while.

It was supposed to be New Year’s—every household festive and decorated with lanterns.

But the entire Gong residence was the same as usual, without a trace of New Year’s atmosphere. Even the ancestral hall had white silk and white lanterns hanging.

Blown by the cold wind!

His gaze gradually tightened as he looked at that memorial tablet and said: “Shilin, wait one more day!”

Wait one more day, and the great vengeance would be repaid.

He would use the blood of Prince Huyi and Na Tuo to make offerings to his son!

The steward stood to the side, worried: “Master, you should still rest a while. It’s almost dawn.”

He waved his hand: “You don’t need to mind me—go rest.”

“I’d better stay with the Master.”

The steward had followed at his side for many years, watching him as the white-haired send off the black-haired. That kind of pain, he felt the same.

After all, he had also watched Gong Shilin grow up!

How could he not feel heartache?

Gong Chi stood in the ancestral hall the entire night.

Continuously looking at his son’s memorial tablet.

Only when dawn broke did he change into clean clothes and sit in the great hall.

He was waiting!

Waiting for the annual sacrifice to begin.

On the other side, ever since that night when Na Tuo saw the moths and blood, his entire person had become listless and dispirited. Even though Marquis Pingyang repeatedly told him those were hallucinations, only because he was too exhausted, his heart remained constantly uneasy.

Even over the next several days, he also saw all sorts of strange things.

But when he came to his senses, he discovered there was nothing at all!

Yet whether imperial physicians or regular doctors, they all said he had no serious illness—it was only because he was too tired.

Just rest well.

People in the residence also began spreading all kinds of strange speculations.

Saying the Third Prince had encountered a ghost, and that ghost was Gong Shilin.

Saying that because he had personally overseen Gong Shilin’s execution, his conscience was guilty, so he had nightmares all night and couldn’t sleep.

Saying he had been cursed by the Second Prince, which was why he was like this!

Also saying it was because he’d been punished by Prince Huyi to copy scriptures and confined for five days, so his heart was dissatisfied, unable to accept the blow for a time, which was why his mind was unclear.

…

All sorts of chaotic speculations spread throughout the residence in a great uproar.

But not one person dared let it reach Na Tuo’s ears.

If he knew, the entire residence would certainly be punished.

So in front of Na Tuo, everyone kept their mouths shut and didn’t discuss it!

And this morning early on, Na Tuo couldn’t get up.

He lay in bed, his face pale.

His entire body powerless.

Only with the support of the maids did he finally rise.

The corners of his lips were pale.

“Go, go fetch this Prince’s court attire. This Prince must enter the palace.”

On the day of the annual sacrifice, as a prince, and moreover the legitimate son, how could he not go?

The maid said: “Your Highness, in your current condition I’m afraid…”

“Shut up—why haven’t you brought the court attire?”

“…”

A room full of servants trembled, not daring to speak further.

The maid brought the court attire and helped him change.

But after just two steps he nearly collapsed to the ground.

Only when Marquis Pingyang arrived in time did he stop him.

He also sent all the other people in the room out one by one.

“Your Highness’s health is important—you should rest at the residence first.”

Na Tuo was shocked: “What are you saying? Telling this Prince to rest? Marquis, you couldn’t have forgotten what day today is?”

Marquis Pingyang said: “Of course I know. But if Your Highness insists on going and your body can’t endure it, wouldn’t that be a great loss?”

“No! This Prince must go.”

“You cannot!” Marquis Pingyang gripped Na Tuo’s arm tightly, his expression serious: “The annual sacrifice is merely a front. Whether you go or not doesn’t affect anything. In any case, I’ve deployed everything. When it becomes a foregone conclusion, I will naturally have someone come fetch Your Highness to enter the palace. At that time, as long as the Great King yields, the imperial edict can be proclaimed!”

Na Tuo’s eyes lit up as he gripped Marquis Pingyang’s hand in return: “Truly?”

Marquis Pingyang nodded emphatically: “In any case, Your Highness need not worry. Tonight everything is under control.”

Only then did Na Tuo feel at ease.

He exhaled in relief.

Dismissing the thought of entering the palace to attend the annual sacrifice.

“Since it’s like this, this Prince won’t go. Everything is entrusted to the Marquis.”