Under the dazzling sunlight, flames shot up into the sky!
The Beirong Palace was filled with the sound of killing.
During the palace banquet, an assassin attempted to assassinate King Beirong. This was like a signal, and in an instant, it kicked off the prelude to the Beirong Palace coup.
The five princes took the opportunity to launch an uprising, and the eunuchs in the palace took up swords and became the vanguard of the rebellion.
With the palace banquet hall as the center, everyone in the entire palace is fighting, you kill me, I kill you.
The fifth prince's uncle gathered his troops and rushed into the palace first.
General Huala was as brave as ten thousand men, and he was able to protect King Beirong with his own strength.
Palace maids, eunuchs, concubines, princes, princesses, ministers, and guards were killed and wounded everywhere.
No one could escape this coup.
The Beirong Palace has transformed into a man-eating demonic palace that wants to devour everyone.
"Father, come here. It's safe here."
The Thirteenth Prince quietly appeared behind King Beirong with dozens of unfamiliar guards.
After all, King Beirong is old and no longer as brave as he used to be. Faced with the palace coup and the rebellious sons and ministers, he only wants to leave here and go to the military camp, where he will be the safest.
In a panic, he took his beloved concubine and hurriedly followed the Thirteenth Prince to retreat away from the scene of the killing.
The Thirteenth Prince has always been cowardly, but also filial.
This son is trustworthy at this moment.
With General Huala holding the line, King Beirong was confident he could escape the palace safely. He would then muster his troops and launch a surprise attack, annihilating all the rebels, from those eighty to infants, and anyone connected to them.
He wanted to massacre the Beirong Palace and the Beirong royal family and kill all suspicious people.
The Thirteenth Prince led King Beirong through the dangerous fighting scene and headed towards increasingly remote places.
"Don't worry, father. The palace wall is just ahead. We'll be out soon."
Upon hearing this, King Beirong and his beloved concubine breathed a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, the Thirteenth Prince who was walking in front stopped.
He turned to look at King Beirong and bowed, "Please forgive me, father."
"What do you mean? Lead the way quickly."
The Thirteenth Prince shook his head slightly, "I can't get out."
As soon as he finished speaking, the guards who were originally guarding King Beirong suddenly changed their positions, raised their swords and rushed towards King Beirong.
"Traitor! You will die a horrible death!"
King Beirong uttered his last cry in this world and was hacked to death.
The Thirteenth Prince personally killed his favorite concubine and her child.
The Thirteenth Prince felt no joy at having his enemy killed. His heartbeat quickened, and he felt as if his soul had left his body.
Guard Zhao San appeared and quietly reminded, "Your Highness, don't forget my son's instructions. Now is not the time to be sentimental. If you want to ascend the throne, Your Highness, please act according to the plan."
It turned out that the guards around the Thirteenth Prince were all people brought by Liu Zhao. These people had been staying outside the city and had never appeared in front of the Beirong people.
This time, he quietly entered the capital of Beirong in order to ambush King Beirong with the help of the Thirteenth Prince.
Regarding the plan to kill King Beirong, Liu Zhao did not allow any other Beirong person to participate in the plan except the Thirteenth Prince, the only Beirong person who knew the inside story.
Guard Zhao San cut off King Beirong's head, took off the seal, said goodbye to Prince Thirteen, and hurried to the place where the battle was most intense.
"The King is dead, the King is dead! Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy..."
The shouts that broke through the sky impacted the hearts of every Beirong person.
"ah……"
General Huala saw the head of King Beirong with his own eyes, and rushed towards the fifth prince who was in ecstasy like a madman.
Liu Zhao, who was in the killing array, acted according to the situation.
He wants everyone here to die.
Rumble!
The gunpowder buried around the hall exploded, causing the earth to shake and the palace to collapse.
Amidst the blazing flames, Liu Zhao escaped.
He didn't look back. Regardless of whether the people in the hall were dead or alive, he had to leave Beirong immediately and rush back to Dazhou as quickly as possible.
Otherwise, by the time Beirong reacts, he will be dead.
He led his trusted men and fought his way out of the Beirong Palace, with his horses just outside the palace.
Mount your horse and head straight for the city gate.
On the way, his troops gathered one after another.
He had the pass token, but was stopped from leaving the city.
Liu Zhao did not hesitate at all. With a whistle, his men drew their swords and rushed out of Beirong City.
Outside the city, twenty men were waiting to meet them.
Enough horses, water, gunpowder and roadblocks were prepared.
The Beirong soldiers were chasing behind him, but Liu Zhao didn't even look back. His eyes were fixed straight ahead. He was determined to escape and take everyone with him.
This is his promise to all his men, and it is also the promise he makes to Gu Jiu silently in his heart.
After joining up with the reinforcements, the roadblocks and gunpowder prepared in advance will help them delay the pursuit of the Beirong army.
Rumble!
The gunpowder buried underground exploded, and the Beirong troops chasing in the front suffered heavy casualties.
Liu Zhao did not dare to be careless at all. He waved his whip and headed south, avoiding the garrisons in various places in Beirong and fleeing across the vast grassland.
There was no rest for three days and three nights, and each person killed at least two horses. They had to eat, drink, defecate and urinate on horseback.
For three days and three nights, they galloped thousands of miles, but the Beirong cavalry chased them relentlessly, determined to capture Gongzi Zhao's head within the territory of Beirong.
One man had three horses, two of which died from running. The last horse had already begun foaming at the mouth and could not hold out for much longer.
Seeing that the Beirong cavalry was only a few dozen miles away from them, and the distance was constantly shrinking, were they really going to die in Beirong?
A horn, carrying the vicissitudes of time, exploded in my ears.
"We are saved."
Someone shouted.
"It's our people. The Duke of Lu has sent someone to pick us up."
"My men, charge! Charge through and you will survive."
Everyone waved their whips, whipped their horses, burned the horses' last vitality, and rushed towards their own army in front.
Woo…
The trumpet sounded again.
Thousands of troops were deployed on the grassland, as if facing a powerful enemy.
Liu Zhao led everyone to charge directly into the army formation, and then fell down headfirst with both men and horses.
Everyone without exception.
The horse neighed, twitched, and slowly closed its eyes.
After three days and three nights and a journey of thousands of miles, it was a blessing that I didn't die on horseback.
Liu Zhao rolled twice on the grass and was too weak to get up.
He only said one sentence, "Fortunately, I have completed my mission!" and then fainted.
The Beirong cavalry stopped several miles away and looked at the Da Zhou army that was ready for battle.
The horse's hooves pawed the grass and it snorted, appearing uneasy.
Nearly three hundred Beirong cavalrymen stopped in their tracks, remained silent, hesitated, and finally decisively pulled up the reins and turned away.
Liu Zhao caused a major disturbance in the Beirong capital, a coup in the Beirong palace, the death of the Beirong king and the death of the Beirong princes, and the Beirong people were plunged into internal strife for the throne. This news was sent to the capital and the palace in the form of a secret report at an 800-li express.
The emperor opened the secret report, saw the news, and shouted, "Good! I have not dishonored my ancestors."
The emperor was so excited that he paced back and forth in the hall.
After his excitement subsided, he ordered Chen Dachang, "Immediately send the imperial physician to the northwest to treat Prince Zhao. If he is healthy, return to the capital as soon as possible. I will reward him handsomely. Also, ask the Marquis of Lu and Prince Zhao to write a detailed report. Ask the spies in Beirong to send the latest news from Beirong as soon as possible."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty. Congratulations, Your Majesty. I will make the arrangements right away. Does the incident of Young Master Zhao causing such a disturbance in Beirong Capital still need to remain a secret?"
The emperor nodded and said, "Keep it secret for now. Once the specific information reaches the capital, I will personally ask for your merits."
…
In the northwest, Liu Zhao finally woke up after sleeping for three days and two nights.
When Pei Ren, Marquis of Lu, learned that he had woken up, he went to visit him immediately.
"Hahaha..." Marquis Lu laughed heartily. "You've been in Beirong for half a year, and you've already accomplished such a remarkable feat. A hero emerges young. That's true."
Liu Zhao got up from the bed, feeling dizzy and his inner thighs were burning with pain because the skin was rubbed off.
"Meet my uncle. I wonder how many days I've been asleep?"
The Marquis of Lu said, "You have slept well for three days and two nights. I was really worried that you would pass out in your sleep. Now that you are awake, I am finally relieved.
Don't worry, I've already sent the memorial requesting merit to the capital, expedited by eight hundred miles. An imperial decree will arrive soon.
Next, you can rest and recuperate here. Once the imperial decree arrives, you can set a schedule for returning to Beijing."
Liu Zhao nodded. "What's the situation in Beirong now?"
"I heard that in order to fight for the throne, you killed me, I killed you, the bloodbath flowed like a river, and there is still no result. This time, you won't kill a single soldier, but you have caused Beirong to lose its composure and fight among itself, greatly weakening its strength. For at least ten years, Beirong will be unable to move south. This is truly an unprecedented achievement!"
Liu Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and just started killing.
His efforts were not in vain.
"Are all my people okay?"
"Don't worry, everyone has received treatment and no one has died."
Liu Zhao felt relieved. Next, he just needed to focus on recuperating.
The Marquis of Lu was about to leave, but before he did, he suddenly said, "Go back and tell your wife that the production of woolen garments must keep up. I'm going to place an order for 500,000 sets this year, so make sure you don't run out of stock."
Liu Zhao was stunned when he heard this.
Seeing this, the Duke of Lu laughed heartily and said, "Your wife is doing a thriving wool business in the northwest. Don't you know that?"
Liu Zhao is innocent, shouldn't he know that?
The Duke of Lu gloated over the misfortune, his face full of anticipation. "My dear nephew, you are a weak husband! Your wife's wool business is second to none in the northwest. Other families depend on her for survival. Also, did you know that your wife built a horse farm in the northwest?"
Liu Zhao's mouth twitched. Don't treat him like a fool. Of course he knew about the horse farm.
Duke Lu said with a smile, "While you have some free time, help your wife inspect her property. You have good taste in marrying such a capable wife."
Liu Zhao readily accepted the advice and rested for two days. As soon as he felt better, he went out to help Zhenfu Gang and inspect the property for Gu Jiu.
Looking at the wool workshops stretching for miles and hundreds of people working there, Liu Zhao couldn't help but be amazed.
He knew that Gu Jiu had set up a wool workshop in the northwest, but he didn't expect it to be so large.
Deng Cunli served Liu Zhao and introduced the workshop to him. He also brought him a lot of news about the capital.
For example, the Li family, Yuhua Lane, and the struggle between Huyang and the Li family.
When Liu Zhao heard this, he knew that this was something important.
"Did Madam instruct Princess Huyang to fight against the Li family?"
"Nothing can be hidden from you, sir. That's exactly the case."
Liu Zhao smiled and said, "Yuhuaxiang must have made a lot of money."
Deng Cunli didn't dare to respond. "I'm in the northwest, so I don't know much about what's going on in the capital."
"No problem!"
Soon detailed information about the capital will be delivered to him.
At that time, he was in Beirong Hospital. In order to avoid suspicion, he and Qian Fu cut off communication for several months.
They could only rely on the spies left behind in Beirong to pass on the news.
Now that he is in the northwest, contact with the capital can be restored.
After inspecting the wool workshop, Liu Zhao went to the horse farm.
Looking at the high-quality horses in the stable, Liu Zhao was delighted.
His beloved warhorse died to save his life.
At this moment, he wanted to choose a good horse from the stable.
Dazhuang is already an experienced horse breeder.
He personally selected a warhorse that had never been tamed for Liu Zhao.
"Sir, please look, this is the one."
A dark red horse was led in front of Liu Zhao.
The horse snorted and stared at Liu Zhao with disdain, as if to say: Trash!
Liu Zhao laughed. What a rebellious horse! He liked it.
"I will tame it myself!"
In the following days, Liu Zhao devoted himself to taming Qingcong.
He named the chestnut warhorse Qingcong.
A few days later, when he had tamed Qingcong, the imperial edict summoning him back to the capital and the imperial physician arrived.
He rode Qingcong directly back to the military camp.
After receiving the imperial edict, he prepared to set off in two days.
night!
Liu Zhao was playing chess with the Duke of Lu in the tent.
The uncle and nephew were silent and focused on the chess game.
At the end of the game, Duke Lu won half a piece.
He laughed, "I've made progress."
Liu Zhao smiled calmly, "My nephew is no longer the little boy he used to be. It's natural that he should make some progress."
The Marquis of Lu stroked his beard and looked at him. "You seem to have a plan in mind. Do you have a plan for when you return to the capital?"
"It's nothing more than doing your job with all your heart." Liu Zhao said calmly.
"You have performed a great deed this time. His Majesty will surely reward you generously. I wonder if he will grant you a title."
Liu Zhao raised his eyebrows. "I am the grandson of the emperor. Even if I have made great contributions, the emperor's grandfather will not grant me the title of a prince. At most, I will be a general who assists the country."
Marquis Lu laughed heartily, "Your Majesty is stingy in bestowing titles upon the royal family. It seems you are already mentally prepared."
Liu Zhao said calmly, "The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. I dare not hold too high hopes for my grandfather."
The Duke of Lu gave birth to a son. "Time makes people grow old. Your Majesty is almost seventy years old. You probably don't have many years left."
Liu Zhao's hands were steady. Hearing this, he looked indifferent and silently placed a piece.
The Duke of Lu smiled knowingly.
The uncle and nephew continued to fight in silence on the chessboard.
When the round was almost over, Liu Zhao asked directly, "Will my uncle help me?"
Marquis Lu shook his head. "You know very well in your heart that I will not help you."
Liu Zhao chuckled softly, "Uncle, have you decided to sit back and watch the fight?"
Marquis Lu laughed heartily, "This Marquis will not participate in the struggle in the capital. This Marquis's duty is to guard the northwest."
Liu Zhao held a piece in his hand and said, "Uncle, don't worry about the new emperor taking the throne, taking away your military power, and taking your head."
"The new emperor must also be capable of seizing my military power."
"Uncle, don't forget, your family is in the capital."
The Duke of Lu laughed sarcastically, "A real man never has to worry about not having a wife."
Liu Zhao paused, and looked at the Duke of Lu with a piercing gaze, "Uncle is indeed a hero."
"I am just a running dog by your Majesty's side."
Liu Zhao shook his head and smiled, "If my uncle changes his mind someday, he can send someone to the capital to look for me."
The Marquis of Lu watched Liu Zhao place his white piece and asked directly, "What can you give me? I already have power and wealth."
Liu Zhao was silent for a moment, then said solemnly, "This young master can bring prosperity to the Pei family for three generations."
The Duke of Lu was not very satisfied. He shook his head and said, "Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings."
Liu Zhao sneered, "Could it be that the Marquis still wants two marquises in one family?"
The Marquis of Lu looked at him with a half-smile, "You can't give me what I want."
Liu Zhao frowned, feeling a little unhappy and more worried.
This time, he was silent for a long time before he said, "The Pei family can't defend the northwest for generations. One day, the Pei family will leave the northwest, or even be uprooted. Another family with military achievements will replace the Pei family in the northwest."
The Duke of Lu's face turned cold, and the chessboard was filled with murderous intent.
"So you want to uproot the Pei family from the northwest? If so, it's even more impossible for me to support you."
Liu Zhao remained calm. "This is the trend of the times, and there is absolutely no compromise. If I were to promise you, my Lord, that the Pei family could guard the northwest for generations, for a hundred, two hundred years, until the dynasty falls, would you believe me? If even you yourself don't believe it, I wouldn't bother to say it out loud."
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