Chapter 76 As the crescent moon hung low in the sky, the curfew in the capital was lifted at dawn…

Li Tan was light-skinned and had difficulty sleeping. He was awakened by the barking of a dog, turned over to face the inside of the bed, and closed his eyes.

For some reason, the dog kept barking, and Li Xin couldn't sleep. He took a robe from beside the bed, slipped on his shoes, and went out to check.

The night was still dark, just past dawn. Li Tan strolled slowly through the courtyard, seeing nothing amiss. The barking of dogs continued incessantly from the side, presumably due to some private matter at the neighbor's house.

Just as Li Tan was about to go back into the house, he glanced in the direction of the barking dog and noticed a brightening in the sky. He recognized the reddish light; it was from the torchlight.

Why are there lights in the middle of the night? Could someone's house be on fire? Li Tan put on his shoes, wrapped himself in his robe, and went out to investigate. What he saw shocked him; the direction seemed to be towards the imperial city.

Without thinking twice, Li Xin hurriedly put on his robe, went back to his room, grabbed the fish tally, and ran towards Yanxi Gate. Fortunately, he lived close to the imperial city, so he was not discovered by the night patrol.

Li Tan used the fish-shaped tally to open the city gate and ran nonstop toward the direction of the fire. The more he ran, the more alarmed he became, for the fire was clearly that of the Left Guard.

The Second Attendant of the Imperial Guard was blocking a group of men. Li Tan stepped forward and saw that the men on horseback were several officers and captains, followed by officers of the Left Guard.

"What are we going to do?" Li Xin asked.

The leaders, mounted on their horses, did not dismount to pay their respects to Li Xin. They simply said, "It's an urgent order, do not obstruct us," and then pushed Cen Zhonglang aside before galloping forward.

Li Tan hurriedly dodged to the side, the horse brushing past him without even giving him a glance, only continuing to move forward.

The soldiers following behind separated Li Xin and Cen Zhonglang. Cen Zhonglang tried several times to stop the soldiers and ask them for clarification, but these soldiers only knew about the orders and did not know the details. Moreover, these people were not soldiers of the Yi Er Mansion. Cen Zhonglang was pushed away again and again, and no one paid any attention to him.

"General, why is this?" Cen Zhonglang jogged a few steps behind the rear of the column, attempting a final obstruction. Seeing that it was futile, he hurriedly turned back to Li Tan's side and anxiously asked, "Why has there been no order from my Yi Er Mansion?"

Li Tan stared blankly as the crimson light of the sky moved into the distance, and uttered, "I don't know either."

Cen Zhonglang also knew that Li Tan didn't really manage the Left Guard's military affairs. In the past, Yuan Shenquan held all the power, but now Yue Shanling was gaining momentum. Li Tan, despite being a general, didn't have as much prestige as a captain. He tentatively asked, "Could it be that General Yue has some important business? Are the two Yi officials also going to follow?"

Li Xin frowned and pondered for a moment, but still believed that they should not act rashly: "The Imperial Guards have always acted without orders. Since there has been no clear order, then we should not move."

He straightened his askew robes again, lowered his head, and walked towards the South Office. Just before entering the South Office gate, he stopped and turned back to ask, "Have you seen General Yue tonight?"

Cen Zhonglang was still looking back when he almost walked over to Li Tan. He was momentarily stunned before answering, "No." He opened his mouth to ask Li Tan why he asked that, but saw that Li Tan had a solemn expression and walked towards the guard's residence without saying a word. Cen Zhonglang quickly followed.

Inside the Right Spring Palace, a bird the size of a fist hopped onto the courtyard wall, pecked at its ruffled chest feathers twice, and then spread its wings and flew towards Jiuru Lane.

"Princess." Kouyun rushed into the room and shook Fu Sui awake in the dark.

Fu Sui was half asleep when it took her a while to realize that Kou Yun was beside her. With her eyes still closed, she mumbled, "What's wrong?"

Kouyun didn't care about hierarchy anymore. She grabbed Fu Sui by the armpits and lifted her up, saying, "Princess, Xiao Wu is outside."

"Hmm." Fu Sui mumbled, sliding down to bury herself under the covers to continue sleeping, when suddenly a loud noise startled her. She jerked out from under the covers and asked, "What did you say?"

"Xiao Wu is outside," Kouyun said as she went to get clothes and shoes for Fu Sui.

The room was pitch black, except for a bright yellow light shining from the outer window that wasn't covered by the curtains. It was already the first day of the month, and the night was thick with darkness. If Cheng Liwu came at this hour, something serious must have happened.

Fu Sui touched her clothes and dressed herself. Kou Yun lit a small lamp in the inner room and brought it to the bedside. She picked up socks and helped Fu Sui put them on. At this moment, she didn't care about her appearance. She just put on her outer clothes, shoes and socks. Kou Yun gathered Fu Sui's hair, combed it a few times, and quickly braided it into a long braid.

When Fu Sui pushed open the door, Dai Ling was guarding the entrance. Cheng Liwu stood under the eaves, looking fairly calm. Next to him was Qin An, dressed in a middle garment with an outer robe draped over his shoulders, who had clearly just arrived in a hurry.

"What is it?" Fu Sui asked before Cheng Liwu could even bow.

Cheng Liwu was slightly out of breath from running or was flustered. His voice trembled slightly as he lowered his voice and said, "There's something wrong with Zuo Wei."

Left Guard? Beyond the mountains? Fu Sui's first reaction to the unusual situation in the army was to shout at the camp, but before she could speak, she heard Cheng Liwu's voice.

“A group of men from the Left Guard left the government office, about three or four hundred people, and it seems they went towards Chang Le Gate.”

Fu Sui looked up at the sky. The Left Guard was an outer military force, and there weren't many regular troops in the capital. What could the Imperial Guards be doing at this hour?

Do you know who is leading the team?

Cheng Liwu said with some self-reproach, "The men and horses were moving too fast, and I didn't see them clearly."

The Left Guard was composed of a diverse group of people, and Yuan Shenquan's trusted confidants still firmly controlled a portion of the troops. Judging the movements of the Imperial Guards required relying on the commander's deductions. "Is General Yue among them?"

"No." This time Cheng Liwu answered with certainty, "The people from Youchunfang said that General Yue has not been to Zuowei since he left this evening, and he would never be wrong."

Yue Shanling is not here. Could it be that Li Tan led a group of people on the trip?

Cen Zhonglang paced around the room like an ant on a hot pan, occasionally opening the door to peek out and see if the troops who had gone out had returned. He frequently glanced at Li Tan, who sat behind his desk as if in deep meditation, his mind pounding with questions he couldn't voice to his superior, making Li Tan jump up and down in frustration.

Li Xin remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was making various speculations. He was getting dizzy from Cen Zhonglang's circling around and said somewhat impatiently, "Instead of wandering around here, you should go and appease the other soldiers and tell them to calm down."

Cen Zhonglang thought it made sense. Since everyone else had already left, there was no use in rushing him. He immediately went to contact the remaining captains and generals so that they could manage their soldiers.

Li Tan found it boring to sit idly in the office, but since he also held the position of Left Guard General, he decided to go with Cen Zhonglang to inspect the soldiers.

Apart from some commotion in the Left Guard, the other guards were all quiet. Li Tan was not dressed warmly, and the heavy night dew made him feel cool.

The old man in charge of cleaning had eaten too much oily food yesterday and had a bit of an upset stomach. The guards lived in communal dormitories, and if someone defecated in the chamber pot, the whole room would smell terrible. The old man had just finished in the large outhouse on one side of the guard's quarters and was walking back with his arms crossed.

"Are you also going on a trip, sir?" the old man asked curiously, seeing Li Xin standing in the courtyard.

Li Tan, seeing that it was a menial servant, was initially reluctant to answer, but upon hearing him say "yes," he suddenly had an idea: "Are there any more men or horses leaving the yamen tonight?"

Seeing that Li Tan's attire didn't resemble that of a soldier, the old man knew he was an officer, so he dared not lie and replied, "A group just left."

"Those who went north yesterday have also left; they probably won't be back until this afternoon."

The old man's last sentence alerted Li Tan, who hurriedly asked, "What do you mean, going north?"

The old man, being of advanced age, couldn't understand the military's terminology, and spoke unclearly: "It means going north. Aren't all the soldiers going north? Today this one goes, tomorrow that one goes."

Li Xin understood; he meant going to Beiyuan to train troops. Most troops set off for training during the day, so which garrison was in such a hurry, heading there the night before? What were the Left Guards doing? Surely they weren't also going to train? Crossing mountains was quite a hassle.

Yue Shanling? Li Xin felt something strange swirling in his mind, but he couldn't quite grasp it. Based on his observation of Yue Shanling, if he were to mobilize troops, even if he didn't come personally, he would send a trusted person with the order. Was Yan Tianqing among those troops just now?

Li Xin quickly found Cen Zhonglang and said, "Send someone to Xinghua Ward to ask if General Yue is at home."

"The people who went to Xinghua Ward said that there were many people surrounding the Yue family, all dressed in black robes and carrying weapons, as if to prevent anyone from coming out. Our men were afraid of being discovered, so they didn't dare to go forward to investigate."

Qin An was reporting the news from Xinghua Ward to Fu Sui. This news weighed heavily on both Fu Sui and Qin An's hearts. Fu Sui leaned against the stone table, her fingernails clicking on the surface. Doumiao, Kouyun, and the others stood helplessly to the side.

"Princess!" Cheng Liwu ran over almost as if his life depended on it. There were no lights in the courtyard and the mansion was quiet. Cheng Liwu dared not shout. He said in a trembling voice, "There's been a fight in the palace."

Now? Fu Sui's heart skipped a beat, and he and Qin An turned sharply to Cheng Liwu, their pupils reflecting the other's shock.

Fu Sui was the first to react: "What's the panic?" It was a dark and windy night; they really picked a good day.

She asked, "Where is Cheng Baoding?"

Cheng Liwu's chaotic thoughts were brought back halfway by Fu Sui's shout. He calmed himself down and replied, "Father is guarding the gate of the mansion."

The Imperial Guards moved in the night, and military action was taken within the palace; the words "palace coup" were now a certainty. Who would carry out the operation, what methods would they use, and what arrangements would the Emperor make? Was it the Wang family finally unable to restrain themselves, or was it someone else entirely?

Many questions flashed through Fu Sui's mind, but only one thing remained clear: she had to be "completely unaware" of it.

After sorting things out in her mind, she instructed, "Xiao Wu, go find your father and have him select a few trusted men to guard all the places. Doumiao, find an excuse to check all the servants and maids in the mansion to see if there are any vacancies. Remember, don't light any lamps, and check quietly."

At this time, one must always guard against someone in the household betraying their master for personal gain.

Doumiao solemnly agreed.

Qin An offered to investigate the male servants.

Fu Sui repeatedly instructed: "Before news spreads outside, pretend that the manor knows nothing and continue as usual. Just guard all the side gates and corner gates and do not allow anyone to enter or leave."

When the eunuch delivering the imperial decree arrived, Cen Zhonglang felt a sense of relief; at least he hadn't been turned away. He eagerly awaited the decree, hoping to learn what had happened that night.

However, the eunuch's words pulled him into another vortex of fear.

When the Feng family plotted a rebellion, His Majesty ordered the Left Guard Army to enter the palace to rescue him.

Cen Zhonglang was about to muster his troops and follow the eunuchs into the palace when a hand blocked his way.

Li Xin's palms were sweaty, and he could even feel his body trembling. The imperial guards on night patrol, the besieged Yue Shanling, the Feng family's rebellion. His ears were ringing, and only one thought remained: the world was about to change.

"General, His Majesty is still waiting for us to rescue him." Cen Zhonglang was extremely anxious, but Li Tan stood still without making a move. Cen Zhonglang wished he could rush into the palace immediately. It was one thing for Li Tan to be silent all the time, but why was he still hesitating at such a critical moment?

Li Xin knew in his heart that Yue Shanling would not be able to come today, and all actions of the Left Guard would depend on his own decisions. However, when he actually held power in his hands, Li Xin only felt fear. With a palace coup looming ahead, one wrong step would lead to utter ruin.

Li Xin calmly took two deep breaths, the cool air filling his lungs as he suppressed his panic. He tried to keep his tone steady as he asked, "Is there an imperial edict?"

The eunuch appeared much calmer than Li Xin and Cen Zhonglang: "It was a verbal order from His Majesty, not a written command."

"General, what time is it? There's no time to write a warrant. Let's hurry up and get out of here. Saving the Emperor is the most important thing!" Cen Zhonglang was so anxious that he almost turned the ground upside down. Seeing that Li Tan didn't move, he rushed over to pull him up.

Li Tan strained his arms, resisting Cen Zhonglang. His heart pounded in his chest, making his bones tremble. The veins on the side of his neck were bulging with tension, but he still gritted his teeth and insisted on his opinion: "The Left Guard is the Emperor's Imperial Guard. Without His Majesty's decree, I cannot obey."

Cen Zhonglang's eyes were practically spitting fire. How could Li Tan be so rigid? Although the Imperial Guards were not allowed to act without orders, how could an imperial edict not be considered an order? With the Emperor facing a formidable enemy, he insisted on getting bogged down in such trivial matters.

The eunuch sneered upon hearing Li Xin's words: "General Li, the Emperor is in trouble, yet you refuse to send troops to his aid. Could it be that you harbor ulterior motives? Don't blame me for not warning you, General Li, how many heads do you have to throw away if something goes wrong with the Emperor?"

Cen Zhonglang, unable to pull Li Tan away, grabbed the eunuch: "This eunuch, don't be angry. Wait a moment, and I will gather the troops to enter the palace."

Li Xin looked at the two men with some confusion. The situation was unclear, and it was difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood. The safest course of action at this moment was to remain still. He believed he had not done anything wrong, but Cen Zhonglang's anxiety and the eunuch's reprimands kept swaying him. Li Xin clenched his fists, constantly convincing himself that he was acting in accordance with the law and regulations.

A series of hoofbeats rang out, and on such a chaotic night, the sound of hooves was particularly noticeable.

Cen Zhonglang reacted the fastest; he quickly climbed onto the haystack piled up against the wall and sprawled over it.

Li Xin followed closely behind. The number of horses that could cause the ground to tremble was no small matter. Which army was it this time?

The eunuch was also bewildered by the sudden sound of horses' hooves. Wasn't he the only one who could mobilize the left guard at this time? Seeing the two men leap onto the high wall, he also climbed up on both hands and feet to find out what was going on.

On the other side of the wall was a dense mass of soldiers, the entire Right Guard, clad in full armor and wielding spears, marching straight towards Chang Le Gate. Leading the charge were Awusiji, Meng Yan, and Huyan He.

"This..." If it were an urgent order, how could it be so complete? Looking at the Right Guard, fully armed and orderly, it was clear that they had been prepared for a long time. Cen Zhonglang climbed over the wall, pointed at the fully armed Right Guard, and looked at Li Tan in bewilderment.

The eunuch who was delivering the order saw the Right Guard heading towards the palace gate, and his eyes widened in terror as if he had seen a demon. He rolled off the haystack, not even caring about the dust on his clothes, and ran outside as soon as he got up.

Li Xin keenly sensed that he couldn't be allowed to leave.

"Grab him!"

He forced those words out of his chest, his voice sharp and piercing.

Cen Zhonglang's military bearing allowed his body to act before his brain could. He leaped off the wall, spread his arms, and flew toward the running eunuch. The two of them landed on the hard ground together, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Dong!" At dawn, the first drumbeat signaling the lifting of the curfew sounded in the capital.