Chapter 1167 There is an inside man

Look at the Luo River, its waters flowing mightily.

The sunlight shone on the Luo River, the water gurgling and sparkling, creating a serene and beautiful scene. But at this moment, every sound of water and every glimmer of light intensified Yuwen Cheng's dissatisfaction and resentment.

His face was still plastered with a nonchalant smile, but the resentment deep in his eyes was clearly visible in the sunlight.

"Brother Emperor,"

He spoke again, somewhat impatiently, yet still defiantly: "It seems that my royal brother really doesn't treat me like a brother anymore. He clearly has merit, but he won't share it with me."

"..."

Upon hearing his address change from "Second Brother" to "Imperial Brother," Yuwen Ye showed no joy or anger, but his eyes grew even colder.

Yuwen Cheng added, "It seems you're going to hold out with me until sunset."

Yuwen Ye looked up at the sky. It was already 3:45 AM. The sun had risen, and although it hadn't yet released all its heat, the more than 20,000 troops waiting here were already getting restless. Even Shang Ruyi's breathing became heavier.

Others may not understand, but Shang Ruyi understands better than anyone else that the time is almost up.

There is a specific time for offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth. They had traveled through the night to reach Luoyang before Liang Shide could ascend the altar for the sacrifice, but now that Yuwen Cheng has blocked their way, it seems they will not be able to do so.

But if he's determined to block their way, then not only will they miss the best opportunity to recapture Luoyang today, but the entire city of Luoyang might also be lost—

Yuwen Ye suddenly said, "It's not that I can't tell you."

"...!?"

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Cheng's eyes widened in surprise, his rapid breathing so heavy it drowned out the sound of the flowing water behind him. He spurred his horse forward a few steps, staring directly at Yuwen Ye: "That is—"

Yuwen Ye added, "But even if I tell you, you might not be able to succeed."

Yuwen Cheng's expression darkened slightly, then his eyes darted around as if he had thought of something. He then chuckled and said to him, "Second Brother, we're brothers, no need for formalities. If you tell me and things work out, we'll each get half the credit, how about that?"

Seeing his greedy gaze, Shang Ruyi couldn't help but frown.

After a brief silence, Yuwen Ye finally took a deep breath and said, "Okay."

After saying that, before Yuwen Cheng, whose eyes were shining, could ask another question, he calmly and confidently said, "I have an inside man in Luoyang."

"..."

Shang Ruyi's breathing quickened slightly as she turned to look at him.

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When Guan Ao was pinned to the ground by the fierce-looking guards, everyone was caught off guard. Guan Ao didn't even have time to struggle before his hands were pinned to the ground.

He was shocked: "You—King Xia, what are you doing?"

In the short time he was speaking, several guards lifted his sleeves and saw a short knife tied to his arm, already half-drawn from its sheath, its cold light dazzling.

At that moment, Guan Ao's heart sank, while the guards who had grabbed him immediately shouted as if they had found a treasure—

"Sure enough, he was carrying a weapon!"

"He's trying to assassinate the Xia King!"

"Everyone be careful!"

Amidst the commotion, Guan Chiying, who was pinned to the ground, watched as everyone swarmed around Guan Ao. At that moment, he fully understood what was happening. Guan Ao's eyes were bloodshot, and he let out a mournful and desperate growl. He tried to struggle again, but he was, after all, just a scholar. Although he was not weak, he was overpowered by a large group of burly guards, and there was no way for him to break free.

They quickly forced him back to the ground and took his dagger.

Guan Chiying's face was also pressed into the mud, and soon her face was covered in mud and ash, her hair was disheveled, and she looked utterly miserable.

But all of this pales in comparison to the shock that this sudden turn of events has brought him.

His eyes were red as he struggled to lift his head. He saw a pair of bright yellow boots slowly approaching them. At the same time, a guard stepped forward and presented him with a short knife that he had taken from Guan Ao's body: "Your Majesty, please look. This is the murder weapon that the traitor secretly carried."

All eyes were focused on the dagger that gleamed with a cold light.

Liang Shide took the short knife and drew it from its sheath with a clatter. The short knife was not only extremely sharp, but the blade even shimmered with a barely perceptible, greenish light.

Perhaps, they were poisoned.

He sneered and flipped his wrist, waving it twice.

Since entering Luoyang, he has lived a life of ease and comfort, and has hardly fought on the battlefield again. However, his many years as a military officer have not made him forget the feel of using weapons, although he feels quite rusty now.

He said coldly, "You think you can assassinate me with this?"

"..."

Do you really think I would believe that you people are sincerely submitting?

Guan Chiying stiffened her neck and struggled to lift her head to look at him, her voice hoarse as she asked, "When...when did you find out?"

Liang Shide said, "What do you think?"

Before Guan Chiying could think it over, he sneered and said, "The people of the Imperial Family have always refused to surrender. They even refused to acknowledge you as family because you submitted to me. But this time, after you went to Huiluo Granary and came back, suddenly they acknowledged you and suddenly they surrendered. They even joined forces with several other families to send me a congratulatory letter... Do you think I should believe you?"

Guan Chiying looked desperate: "So, it's because I went back to the Guan family that you suspect me?"

Liang Shide looked at him for a while and shook his head: "No, I've suspected you ever since you came back."

"...!?"

Even Guan Ao was somewhat surprised, and Guan Chiying was even more incredulous: "You suspect me as soon as I come back? Why?"

Liang Shide didn't speak, but clapped his hands lightly. Immediately, two somewhat familiar figures walked out from behind him. Guan Chiying looked up and saw that it was Xu Laoda, who had followed Chen Cai out of the city to return to Luocang with him before, and later escaped to Xiao Yuansui's camp, and that young man!

Of the two, only Guan Chiying's surname was known, and the other's name was unknown.

Upon seeing them emerge, Guan Chiying was astonished: "It's...it's you?"

"That's right,"

The young man said coldly, "I've long suspected you have ulterior motives. Back in General Xiao's camp, you thought you could secretly meet with that Princess Qin without our knowledge, but you were sharing a tent with us. How could I not know you'd sneaked out?"

"..."

"However, we're not under Xiao Yuansui's jurisdiction, so telling him wouldn't have made a difference, which is why I haven't said anything. But this time when I came back—"

Guan Chiying's face turned deathly pale.

He knew, of course, that this young man had been making trouble for him, but with important matters at hand, he didn't have the mind to care about such a nobody, so he didn't pay any attention to him at all. Only when he heard him say this did he realize how big a flaw he had revealed.

So this time when I come back—

He turned to look at Boss Xu, and when he met his gaze, Boss Xu's eyes darted away slightly, as if he felt a little guilty, but he still said, "When King Xia sent me to reply, I only told him what I saw and heard."

Guan Chiying asked, "What did you see? What did you hear?"

Old Master Xu said, “Everyone was happy that Yuwen Cheng didn’t besiege Luoyang when we came back, but only you—you called him a good-for-nothing and looked at him with such disappointment.”

Guan Chiying's heart sank.

Yes, he did say that when he returned to Luoyang. Because Yuwen Cheng had been unable to capture Luoyang for a long time, and even after letting Chen Cai and his group go, he still had not completed the encirclement of Luoyang. Compared to the King of Qin, who could confront Xiao Yuansui's 100,000-strong army with only a few thousand men at Hulao Pass, this King of Qi was indeed a good-for-nothing.

Little did they expect that what was said in jest would be taken to heart by the listener.

With the testimonies of these two men, Liang Shide could completely suspect him. In addition, the emperor had unusually accepted him and even sent him a congratulatory letter. It was likely that he had long been convinced that there was something wrong with this group of people, and that today's sacrificial ceremony was just waiting for them to reveal their true colors.

Now……

Both of their heads were viciously pressed to the ground. Even the handsome and dignified Guan Ao looked disheveled at this moment, not to mention the others, who were all like meat on a chopping board, looking like they were being slaughtered.

Liang Shide tossed the dagger in his hand again, then forcefully plunged it downwards towards Guan'ao.

"ah!"

Guan Chiying gasped in terror, his heart nearly stopping, as the sharp knife grazed Guan Ao's nose and plunged deep into the ground before him. Liang Shide sneered, "You want to stop me? You think you're worthy? Today, I deliberately didn't prepare any sacrificial offerings of pigs, cattle, or sheep. I want to use your blood to appease heaven and earth, to let heaven and all the rebels who share your thoughts know that I am the one appointed by heaven, and no one can stop me!"

After saying that, he waved his hand forcefully: "Take him away and sacrifice him to Heaven and Earth!"

The guards immediately rushed Guan Ao, Guan Chiying, and several other officials to the altar. Only then did everyone see that there were not only several bottles of sake on the altar, but also a gleaming steel knife. The blade gleamed blindingly in the sunlight, as if waiting to drink blood.

Several people, with their hands tied behind their backs, knelt before the altar.

At the same time, the drums and music sounded once more, this time louder and more solemn than before, the sound spreading across the vast wilderness as if reaching the heavens. Not only did the soldiers on the city walls sing along with the music, but even the civilians who had been driven out of the city were shocked by this scene, and they all knelt down around the altar.

Liang Shide finally stepped onto the altar. He offered incense and kowtowed, raised the first cup of sake, paid homage to Heaven, and then poured it into the bronze cauldron.

With a sizzling sound, the liquor instantly turned into a burst of hot steam, rising into the air.

Wei Yu immediately shouted, "Offer it!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a swordsman stepped forward, raised his heavy steel sword, and chopped down on Guan'ao's neck!