Chapter 518 Who Will Take the Blame?

"Buzz!"

A huge crossbow bolt was planted twenty feet in front of Qin Mo.

"Halt! ... Do not approach the city gate!"

When Qin Mo returned to the capital, she was surprised to find that the city gates were closed even in broad daylight!

The nine gates of the capital city open at Chenshi (7-9 AM) and close at Xushi (7-9 PM), a practice that has remained unchanged for over a hundred years. Even when the orc army marched on Yanqing Prefecture, the gates were not closed during the day.

But now the city gates are closed, and the city guards on the city walls are all armed with swords drawn and bows strung, in a state of high alert. Even when I was still hundreds of feet away from the city gate, the soldiers on the city walls used ballistae to warn me to not approach the city gate.

"Your Highness, look at the posture of the city guards. They are treating us as enemies. Are they blind? Who doesn't recognize your banner now?"

“They may not be targeting us alone. At this time, any army that approaches the capital will be seen as having ulterior motives.”

"But we only have three hundred men, while Your Highness's personal guard is supposed to be five hundred. We're not an army at all, so why are they so nervous?"

Wu Shengze looked at the ballista on the city wall that had turned to aim at him, feeling both annoyed and amused. Qin Mo was a hereditary prince, and according to regulations, he could have up to five hundred personal guards. In other words, Qin Mo could bring five hundred men into the city. Now, he had only brought three hundred men, yet the city guards on the city wall were so tense. It was truly speechless.

"Let's go ask which idiot ordered the city gates closed. There are envoys from various countries inside the city. Are they trying to make a fool of themselves?"

The ancient city's unusual decision to close during the day was merely a minor inconvenience for the locals, but those with a keen eye might speculate that it reflected the panic and lack of confidence in the control of the Great Xia's power center.

Wu Shengze spurred his horse and galloped toward the city gate, but soon turned back. Behind him was a city guard captain who had fallen from the city wall.

"Your Highness, he said it was an order from Grand Secretary Xiao, but they don't know the specifics of it."

"Captain Lu Xiang of the City Guard pays his respects to Your Highness Prince Heng!" Captain Lu Xiang was very polite and courteous when he saw Qin Mo.

"Captain Lu, no need for formalities. Your city guards are under the command of the Central Military Commission, aren't they? How come it's the Cabinet's turn to order the city to close? Did you report this to your superiors?"

"Your Highness, Lord Xiao came in person at 3:45 AM today, accompanied by many officials. We had no choice but to obey and then request instructions from our superiors. However, we have not yet received a reply from the Central Military Command, so we did not open the city gates this morning."

Lu Xiang was quick-witted and quickly revealed most of the basic information Qin Mo wanted to know in one sentence. At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), something happened in the city. The Grand Secretary Xiao Xinyan personally went to the city gate and ordered that the city gate not be opened. Moreover, he was not alone. It seems that the entire civil official group stood by his side this time.

The actions of the Central Military Command were also cunning. Since the city gates were not open, they remained silent and observed the situation, leaving themselves room to maneuver.

"Did Xiao Xinyan say how long the city would be closed? And who would be prohibited from entering the city?"

"Your Highness, Lord Xiao did not say when the city would be closed, but he repeatedly and sternly instructed that no nobles were allowed to lead their private armies and personal guards into the city!"

"Oh? You're not even allowed to bring your personal guards?"

Lu Xiang looked extremely embarrassed: "Your Highness, what Lord Xiao means is... even nobles aren't allowed to enter the city..."

Qin Mo's face hardened. Emperor Zhaowu had passed away, and you, a civil official leader, were banning nobles from entering the city? What were you trying to do? And at this critical juncture, what was the attitude of the Central Military Commission? Qin Mu was one of the most illustrious nobles in the Great Xia Dynasty; how could he allow civil officials to act recklessly?

"Your Highness, although nobles are forbidden from entering the city, I feel that... you are a member of the royal family! So... there is a section of the city wall over there that is unguarded..." Before Qin Mo could gather her murderous aura, Lu Xiang gave a different explanation and pointed to a section of the city wall to the south that appeared to be unguarded.

Qin Mo dismounted and approached Lu Xiang: "Not bad, kid. You have potential. But have you heard something?"

Lu Xiang, who was clearly older than Qin Mo, showed no discomfort at Qin Mo's form of address: "Your Highness is too kind. My cousin is a captain in the Imperial Guard. This morning he came to warn me not to be too rigid, because last night at midnight, weeping was heard from the palace!"

Sure enough, those who could rise to the leadership ranks in the capital's military and political system were not ordinary people. Even a lowly captain could have access to information from the palace. It seems that Lu Xiang's brother had guessed something, which is why he warned his cousin not to offend the big shots from all over the country who came to the capital.

When Emperor Zhaowu passed away without appointing a crown prince, all members of the royal family within the Great Xia territory would have to enter the palace, as they were all qualified to come to the imperial palace in the capital to discuss "family matters".

Xiao Xinyan had no choice but to order the city to close. There were quite a few royal family members enfeoffed in various parts of the Great Xia. Each of them had hundreds or dozens of personal guards. If they were allowed to gather in the capital, they could easily form thousands or even nearly ten thousand armored soldiers. If they were to become resentful and start causing trouble, it would be difficult to control them.

The Central Military Commission did not oppose Xiao Xinyan's decision to close the city, probably because they were afraid of all the messy troubles. There are at least eighty or a hundred "talented men" of suitable age in the Great Xia royal family, and anyone is qualified to nominate a crown prince or inherit the throne. Even the strong-willed Prince Yan, Qin Mu, would have to put in a lot of effort to unify their opinions.

Qin Mo entered the capital city with only a few close followers. The group of people all wore cloaks and covered their heads, acting furtively like illegal immigrants.

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