132 Gift
◎Of course I'm here to give you a birthday gift◎
The situation in Qianbei is becoming increasingly urgent. The new king has usurped the throne and is unpopular. He has been a scoundrel since childhood. Once he seizes power through a military coup, he has no ability to govern the country.
Since he ascended the throne, he has been busy with eating, drinking and having fun, not caring about the lives of the people. Today is his first birthday after taking power, so naturally he has to celebrate it with great fanfare.
Outside the city, there were starving people everywhere, while inside the city, the lights were bright. Tarun was looking forward to today's birthday party. He ascended the throne of a country at the age of 18, and the most difficult troubles were now gone. He no longer had any worries.
A close minister stepped forward and offered a toast, "Today is the first birthday celebration since the king ascended the throne. May the Eternal Heaven bless your majesty and Qianbei!"
He is Archie, a clan minister, and now he is considered the father-in-law of the king. His daughter Zhuona is about to marry Tarun and become the new queen of Qianbei.
"I'd like to offer a toast to everyone. Thank you for your support. We are where we are today!"
"But Your Majesty, the Highness has been missing for several months. Should we send people to Zhourong and other countries to investigate? After all, the Highness has prestige and troops. If he really comes back, we won't be able to deal with him!"
The speaker was Taifu Qi Song, a Han official who was neutral in the party struggles and the teacher of Tarun and Subuda. Because of this friendship, Tarun did not kill Qi Song after he came to power. Instead, he respectfully allowed him to continue sitting in this position.
This is what people in the Central Plains say: "Once a teacher, always a father." The Han people value respect and etiquette, so let's keep him for now.
Tarun didn't say anything when he heard him say that. Instead, Archie was unhappy and put down his wine glass with a clatter. "Master Qi, you are too cautious. His Majesty is legitimate. Who dares to say anything? Not to mention that His Highness dares not come back, even if he does come back, he is not afraid."
Despite this, Qi Song still felt uneasy, "She took the young marquis of the Wu family with her. The Wu family has military power."
Tarun took the opportunity to offer some comfort, "Master Qi, you're really worrying too much. My spies reported a while ago that she had starved to death on the streets of Rong Country. She's probably been reincarnated by now. Besides, hasn't the Wu family been imprisoned?"
During his lifetime, the previous king valued the opinions of Han officials and recruited many knowledgeable people to serve him, which led to rapid development. However, it seems that many wise and capable rulers end up being dictatorial in their later years, and the previous king was no exception. The political situation was turbulent and Han officials were marginalized.
Furthermore, the climate has been bad in recent years, and Qianbei has repeatedly invaded the Central Plains from the south. Now Taren is here. Although he has learned some Confucian classics, he still rejects Han officials in his heart, and instead is more willing to trust his relative Archie.
"Qi Song, you are also a veteran of two dynasties. His Majesty has ascended the throne. Today is a day of great joy. Stop spreading rumors and misleading the people!"
Qi Song was unable to stop talking, so he had to leave on the pretext of illness, "This old minister is not feeling well, so I will take my leave first."
Tarun suddenly stopped him and said, "Master Qi, I see that you look tired. It would be better if you don't have to attend court these days and go home to rest."
"yes."
Qi Song quietly left the banquet and walked alone. The new king was rejecting Han officials. It was unknown how long this life would last.
Perhaps in a moment, he will become the next prisoner.
In the hall, the Qianbei people were now exchanging greetings. Zhuona brought the wine, squatted down, and presented the glass to Tarun in a very humbly manner.
Archie: "Play music!"
The drums and music sounded again, and it was very lively. Tarun raised his glass, and all the ministers and guests raised their glasses to celebrate.
After three rounds of drinks, the dancers appeared, each dressed in flowing dresses, looking particularly charming under the light, and dancing with their masks on. Subuda was among them. Before entering the palace, they had already persuaded the guards for the day, and Wudaiqin's men followed outside.
"Your Majesty, drink."
Tarun pulled Zhuona into his arms, took the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.
Subuda heard some things that happened in the palace, but he became even more angry when he saw with his own eyes that his former good friend had betrayed him and was in cahoots with his brother and was extremely flattering to him.
It is even more infuriating when such flattery is not sincere but only for personal gain.
"Drink, drink, drink too, beautiful lady!" Tarun sat slumped on the table with his legs open, obviously a little drunk.
A dancer holding a sword walked forward to the sound of music and made a few gestures. The sword flew and suddenly pointed at Tarun. He was startled and realized that it was a false alarm. He smiled awkwardly.
The swords in the dancers' hands were unsharpened and could not hurt anyone, but the one Subuda held was the real thing.
Cheers and applause mixed together, the passionate drumbeats became more and more rapid, and Subuda and the dancer just now changed positions.
She should have made a gesture and left the main seat, but she took the sword and walked to the center of the banquet in three or two steps. The singing and dancing were in full swing and everyone was slightly drunk. No one noticed that the sharpened sword was already pointed at Tarun.
He was so frightened that he knocked over the wine glass in his hand, and all the alcohol disappeared. Zhuona was terrified and cried out, "Protect the emperor, protect the emperor!"
The dancers were in chaos and the ministers ran away and scattered.
A group of soldiers rushed into the hall with swords and surrounded Subuda at an extremely fast speed.
"How come you are still alive?" Tarun was extremely surprised to see Subuda.
"Of course I'm here to give you a birthday present!"
The soldiers surrounded her. Not far outside the hall, an arrow pierced the crowd and hit the wooden pillar in front of Tarun's future father-in-law. He was a paper tiger who was relying on the power of others to bully others. He was frightened by the arrow and fainted.
"Quickly capture her and behead her in public! Quickly capture her!!!" Tarun was so anxious that he jumped up and down, but the soldiers were indifferent.
He simply raised his sword and threatened the soldiers, "What are you doing? Are you not obeying my orders?"
The soldiers remained unmoved. "You usurped the throne, indulged in extravagance and debauchery, and favored corrupt officials. How can you be worthy of sitting in this palace? We have had enough!"
"Sister..." Talun's eyes were red and he choked, but Subuda did not answer.
"Someone come, someone come!" he shouted outside.
"Stop shouting," Subuda said. "I've already replaced all the guards in the palace today. Do you think they're all truly at your service?"
"How did you get in?" asked Ta Lun.
He staggered back to the banquet and groped for his sword, "How did you get in? Who let you in?" He became more and more excited, almost crazy, and picked up the sword to chop at Subuda.
"Changshengtian should have taken you in long ago. Today, I will restore order!"
Outside the palace, Wudaiqin left two deputy generals to follow Subuda, and he took a pair of men to deal with the palace guards.
A small number of troops in the capital are stationed in the imperial palace, and most of the others are in military camps on the outskirts of the city. In order to stabilize the situation, the guards must be dealt with first.
Wu Daiqin put away his sword and said kindly, "We have known each other since childhood. If you don't want to die, come on!"
He grew up in a military camp with his father. The guards were all old acquaintances of his, and some of them had grown up together.
Everyone knows Ta Lun's words and deeds. He doesn't want to take action against his former brothers.
The guards looked at each other, and no one dared to speak first. Suddenly, a guard rushed out of the crowd and was killed by Wu Daiqin without saying a word.
"Prince, let's fight quickly and decisively. The military camps outside the city are still waiting for news." said a personal soldier.
The commander of the guards sneered, "You are already isolated and helpless. Do you think Subuda's thousands of elite soldiers can really start a rebellion? Don't even think about it. Surrender quickly to prevent us from taking action."
"Then let's stop talking nonsense!" Wu Daiqin took out two scimitars from his waist, and the two armies immediately started fighting each other.
Wu Daiqin leaped into the air and slashed at the opponent without waiting for him to recover. The opponent dodged and fell to the ground. His body slid on the ground and hit the white marble pillar of the imperial road.
A huge firework exploded into a white flower in the dark night sky. It was a signal flare released by the Wu family army.
Qi Song and Alqi did not get along, so after leaving the palace, they went to the suburbs of the city. He was the one who let Subuda into the palace.
"But Lord Rongguo Xiao?"
"Exactly."
"I'm Qi Song, and I'll lead you to the camp outside the city."
With Qi Song's support, the army coming to support from Rong State will have just enough time to go to the outskirts of Beijing to inspect the troops. If the problem is solved in the palace, they can deal with it. If the problem fails in the palace, they can still provide support.
The banquet was in chaos. Tarun was quick-witted and dodged several of Subuda's moves. He turned around and drew his sword to fight her.
His kung fu was not inferior to Subuda's. He saw the right moment and pounced to the side, catching Subuda off guard. With Zhuona's help, he was really unable to withstand it.
Subuda turned and drew her arrow and shot it, but Archie took advantage of her unpreparedness and scratched her from behind, causing her to touch the arrow and accidentally shoot an arrow from the crossbow.
Subuda's weapon fell out of her hand, and Archie and Tarun both pointed their swords at her. Now she only had one arrow left in her body.
"Sister, you only have one arrow left." said Ta Lun.
At that time, the personal guard came to report: "Your Highness, Prince Wu can't hold on any longer!"
Several people were in a stalemate. On one side was his younger brother, and on the other was his former friend's father. No matter how he chose to shoot the arrow, it was not a good idea.
Subuda shot a flying needle from his sleeve and hit Tarun on the shoulder. The only crossbow arrow shot Archie to death.
"You never learn your lesson."
This was the method that Subuda once told Ta Lun. Never let yourself fall into a situation where you cannot fight back. No matter when, you must always keep a trick up your sleeve to turn the situation around.
"Father! Father!"
Archie stumbled and fell to the ground. Zhuona was terrified and rushed over, clinging to him and crying bitterly.
"Subuda, I will kill you!" She picked up a knife that was already chopped off by someone and chopped at Subuda.
She was no match for Subuda and was subdued in a few moves. "You and I were friends before. I don't want your life, I only want his."
As he said this, Subuda picked up the scattered bow and arrow and aimed it at Tarun.
When the news of victory outside the palace came, Wudaiqin defeated the guards and reinforced the soldiers in the palace who were unable to cope with it.
"Zhuona, Zhuona!" Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Ta Lun lost all his arrogance and hid behind Zhuona.
"You can't kill him, he is your own brother!" Zhuona cried. She had already lost her father, and if she lost the man in front of her, she would really have nothing.
Subuda couldn't bear to kill her own brother. Although they were not born of the same mother, she was forced to kill him.
She still hesitated.
"Now you are still hiding behind a woman, are you still a man?"
"I beg you not to kill him, please spare his life!" Zhuona cried bitterly and even knelt down to beg, "Please, Subuda!"
"Come, hold these two down!" Subuda warned Zhuona, "Be good and don't move. I can spare his life."
The soldiers tried to tie up Tarun, but he suddenly broke free, drew the throwing knife from his waist and hit Subuda.
The sound of a flying knife pierced the air. Subuda dodged it swiftly, turned around, pulled out the last arrow behind him, and shot it at Tarun.
"I said, don't move!"
The arrow went straight into his chest and blood gushed out instantly. Tarun was unable to react in time and reached out to touch the wound. His fingers were stained red with blood. He looked up at Subuda and wanted to say something, but before he could say anything, he fell to the ground and died.
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