Chapter 179 The Blame-Shifting Conference Begins Now
When the first rays of morning light penetrated the mist above the capital, an extremely exhausted team appeared outside the west city gate.
The soldiers defending the city saw from afar the familiar dark black flag embroidered with the word "Xiao".
But at this moment, the royal flag that once struck fear into the hearts of the enemies on the battlefield in the north was covered in dust, and even had a long cut on it by a sharp weapon, looking a bit bleak in the morning breeze.
"Yes... His Royal Highness the Regent is back!" The guard on the city wall rubbed his eyes, his voice trembling.
"Quick! Open the city gate!"
The heavy city gate made a creaking sound.
When Xiao Yu rode his warhorse and entered the city gate first, all the soldiers defending the city gasped.
What did they see?
Their war god prince had a black robe covered in dried blood and torn marks. His godlike face was filled with exhaustion from a sleepless night and icy frost.
The black-armored soldiers behind him were all injured and had murderous looks on their faces.
There were also several disciples from the Observatory wearing blue and white Taoist robes in the team. They were carrying a stretcher covered with white cloth, and their expressions were sad.
The entire team was shrouded in a tragic and solemn atmosphere.
"This...what exactly happened over at Xishan?"
"Oh my god, look at the sky in the west! What's that? Why is it such a dark patch?"
"I saw it last night! I heard it was a punishment from heaven! A monster was born!"
The people near the city gate had been alarmed by the noise here. They watched from afar, pointing at the black fog that was visible and constantly rolling in the western sky, their faces full of fear.
Panic, like a plague, has already spread quietly in the capital.
Prince Yu launched an evil sacrifice in Xishan and was surrounded and suppressed by the troops led by the Regent.
This news had spread through some unknown channel among officials of all ranks and noble families in the capital.
But there are many different versions of the rumor.
Some people said that the Regent had failed to suppress the rebellion, and Prince Yu had gained supernatural powers and was about to return to the capital and ascend the throne.
Some people said that in order to fight for the throne, the regent used forbidden techniques to attract demons, which caused the strange phenomenon in the sky and earth in Xishan.
Some people even say that the black fog is the sigh of death, which will slowly devour the entire capital city and no one will survive!
Rumors are more deadly than any sword.
Xiao Yu turned a deaf ear to the surrounding discussions and suggestions. His face was as gloomy as water, and he headed straight towards the Regent's Palace.
Before he could return to the palace, a row of gorgeous sedan chairs blocked the long street in front of the palace.
Dozens of court officials dressed in official robes of various colors had already been waiting here.
The leader was the Minister of Personnel Zhang Cheng'an, a notorious old fox and the vanguard of the "anti-Xiao faction" in the court.
"Oh! Your Majesty! You are finally back!"
As soon as he saw Xiao Yu's team, Zhang Cheng'an immediately led a group of officials to greet them quickly.
"Your Highness, you've been working hard! We heard about the unrest at Xishan and have been waiting here all night anxiously! I wonder...how the battle is going? Has the traitor Prince Yu been brought to justice?"
Xiao Yu pulled the reins and looked down at him condescendingly, without a trace of warmth in his eyes.
"Master Zhang, you are well-informed."
Zhang Cheng'an's face froze for a moment, then turned into a look of deep sorrow. "Your Highness, you're joking! Right now, inside and outside the capital, people are in a state of panic, and rumors are spreading! As officials appointed by the court, we eat the emperor's salary, so naturally we must share his worries! We must share the worries of the people of the world!"
The officials behind him immediately echoed his words.
"Yes, Your Highness! What on earth is that black aura in the west? The people are frightened to death!"
"I heard that Prince Yu was resisting stubbornly. Your Majesty, please give us clear instructions so that we can make preparations early and appease the people!"
"Your Highness, this trip of yours...seems to have come at a considerable cost?" A sharp-eyed censor said meaningfully, glancing at the stretcher being carried in the procession.
At this moment, a shrill cry erupted from Xuanyi's shoulder.
"It's over! It's all over! Master Zhang! Save me! Save me!"
Censor Qian, who had been carried all the way by Xuanyi, seemed to have seen his savior and began to struggle desperately.
Xuan Yi was annoyed by his tormenting, so he loosened his grip and threw him to the ground.
Qian Dahai rolled and crawled to Zhang Cheng'an's feet, hugged his thighs, and cried with snot and tears, "Master Zhang! You have to make a decision for me! Make a decision for the millions of people in the capital!"
"Those in the West Mountain aren't rebels! They're demons! Man-eating demons!"
"Your Highness the Regent… He… He mishandled the situation, allowing the demon to lose control! That black energy is the demon's poison! It's about to engulf the capital! We're all going to die! We're all going to die!"
His words were confusing but extremely inflammatory.
Demon! Out of control! Mishandled! Devouring the capital!
Every word was like a huge rock, hitting everyone's heart hard.
The officials who were originally just whispering to each other suddenly exploded!
"What?! It's a demon?"
"Improper handling? Could it be that this black energy... was caused by the Regent?"
"Oh my God! This... isn't this just inviting a wolf into the house and inviting fire?"
A barely perceptible hint of pride flashed across Zhang Cheng'an's eyes.
This is exactly the effect he wanted! He pretended to help Qian Dahai up and looked at Xiao Yu with a sad face.
"Your Highness! Is what Censor Qian said true?"
"Did you...really let that monster get out of control? Was the black fog in the western suburbs really caused by you?"
His voice was raised high, full of questioning.
This is no longer an inquiry, but a conviction!
"Your Majesty! Where does your action put His Majesty? Where does our Great Yan Empire stand? Where does it put the millions of people in the capital?"
"Your Highness, please explain clearly to all the officials and the world immediately!"
"If you can't give us an explanation, we...we will have no choice but to submit a joint petition to the Queen Mother and His Majesty to make the final decision on this matter!"
For a time, the crowd was outraged.
All the accusations were directed at the exhausted man who had just experienced a bloody night.
They didn't care how many soldiers died, how many talented people were lost in the observatory, or who was behind this shocking conspiracy.
They only care about whether their official hats will be affected and whether their lives and property will be threatened.
Also, can we take this opportunity to pull down this powerful regent from his high position?
Xuan Yi and the Xuanjia Army soldiers behind him looked at the officials' faces of confusing right and wrong, and were so angry that their eyes turned red and the veins on their hands holding the hilts of the swords bulged.
They fought bloody battles to defend the capital, but in return they were met with such groundless accusations and frame-ups!
"You guys... are slandering me!" Xuan Yi cursed angrily, "If it weren't for the prince's prompt decision, you would have been made into blood food by those evil cultists by now! How can you still fart here?!"
"How dare you!" Zhang Cheng'an's face darkened. "Commander Xuan, I'm a second-rank official in the imperial court! How dare you insult me in the street? Are there any laws left?"
"The king's law?" Xuan Yi laughed angrily. "The king's law is to watch over a bunch of parasites like you, framing loyal officials here?!"
The conflict was about to escalate.
"Xuan Yi."
A cold voice sounded faintly.
Just two words instantly quieted the noisy scene.
Xiao Yu slowly turned over and got off the horse.
He walked up to Zhang Cheng'an.
He was a head taller than Zhang Cheng'an, and his bottomless eyes looked down at him quietly and condescendingly.
No anger, no excuses.
There was only a dead silence, as indifferent as a glacier that had existed for thousands of years.
Zhang Cheng'an felt uneasy at the sight of him. He subconsciously took a half step back and said with all his might, "Your Highness... what... what do you mean by this? Are you... are you planning to commit a crime in the street to silence us all?"
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