Chapter 82 The Bird of Prey Strikes (Part Two) "Even if it's just luring the snake out of its hole, he..."
Such torrential rain is rare in the late autumn of Beijing. The sudden chill made the world seem dark and gloomy. The rain showed no signs of stopping anytime soon, so the group took shelter in a restaurant.
Yan Chao was accompanied by Duan Shou when he left the palace this time. Since it was inconvenient for Duan Shou to serve him closely, just as he was about to close the door, Lan Huaien squeezed over and said, "This humble servant will help you change your clothes, young master."
Duan Shou stepped forward to stop him.
Lan Huaien held onto the door tightly, then hurriedly said, "I have other important matters to report."
Yan Chao paused, then released his grip, letting him squeeze in. Seeing this, Duan Shou silently retreated to stand guard.
Outside the window, the wind and rain were howling. Yan Chao felt a little lost, as if the rain was about to fall into his heart. He didn't even notice Lan Huaien closing the window and just stood there blankly in front of it.
Lan Huaien brought her a cup of tea. She shook her head and silently lowered her head to undress. Her fingertips were a little stiff, and she felt cold all over. Fortunately, she wasn't soaked by the rain, and since she was outside the palace, she would just change into an outer robe for now.
Perhaps she was lost in thought, because she didn't resist when Lan Huaien helped her change. His movements were gentle and practiced, and he didn't disturb her even after he had fastened her belt.
Finally, he helped her sit down, took her hand without saying a word, breathed on it to warm it, and whispered, "Your clothes are a little damp. Once the rain stops and Your Highness returns to the palace, you must change them immediately, or you'll catch a cold."
Yan Chao glanced at him and asked, "Is this how you serve His Majesty?"
"ah?"
"Like coaxing a child."
Yan Chao pulled his hand away and asked, "Why are you at the execution ground today?"
"Both the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs are involved in this case. If Director Zhang can go, then I can naturally go too. Moreover, His Majesty attaches great importance to this case. If he asks about it someday, I will have something to say." He didn't dare to mention that he had guessed that Yan Chao would come, but this strange sense of tacit understanding was really inexplicable. In order to avoid her suspecting that he had followed her again, it was better to keep quiet.
Yan Chao, too lazy to press the matter further, asked again, "Didn't you have something important to say?"
Lan Huaien lowered his head guiltily. For a moment, the dilemma of whether to speak or remain silent swirled in his mind. Suddenly, a shadow of Shen Wei flashed through his mind, and he finally hesitated before speaking.
"I went to see Shenwei one last time yesterday."
Yan Chao remained silent, lost in thought.
"He asked me to bring you something." He pulled out a crumpled rag from his pocket, the threads of which were tangled from tearing, and it was stained.
Yan Chao took it and unfolded it, barely able to make out the bloodstains:
The moss and rust still drip with dew, while the lotus has been dead for twenty springs.
For twenty springs I have felt ashamed of my books and sword, and I cannot bear to bow to the wall in vain.
She slightly averted her gaze and unconsciously sipped her warm tea. She always felt it was pointless to recall those distant and hazy memories, yet at this moment, her heart was still elsewhere.
Over the years, her relationship with Shen Wei had remained stable, adhering strictly to the proper etiquette between ruler and subject without ever overstepping the bounds, even their concern for each other was always handled with propriety. But because of that special reason, they were always closer than with others.
Shen Wei was the only man who had been with her since childhood, and also the first outsider to know her secret. They had known and accompanied each other for over ten years, their scattered memories flashing by like fleeting shadows. Shen Wei was not only like a brother and friend, but also a ray of light and peace of mind in that dark and gloomy period.
Ask yourself honestly: Was I truly never tempted? Not even a little bit?
Those subtle feelings that may have sprouted early on, she refused to acknowledge. Only now that Shenwei is dead, and she no longer needs to avoid them, does she realize that her true feelings were already clear.
Yan Chao sighed silently.
Lan Huaien silently poured a cup of tea into her cup.
He didn't understand Shen Wei's poetry, but he roughly understood her suffering. Naturally, this didn't stop him from continuing to follow Yan Chao. He thought he would send her lotus flowers every year.
The silence was broken by a knock on the door.
Duan Shou stepped forward to report, and Lan Huaien consciously stepped back a few paces to avoid suspicion. The whispered conversation was only a few words long, but Yan Chao couldn't help but frown.
Wei, a concubine of Prince Xin, has gone missing.
The Prince's residence has sealed off the news and is under martial law. Clearly, the theft of the letter has been discovered. So, has the Wei family fallen into the hands of Prince Xin, or is there another hidden story?
"Send people to search for it; they should return immediately once they find any trace of it."
"yes."
None of this is a concern, as the Wei clan posed no real threat. The real concern is Prince Xin; how will he react? Although Yan Chao was somewhat prepared, the unexpected must be anticipated, and he will return to the palace as soon as the rain stops.
He then immediately summoned Grand Secretary Chen and several trusted palace officials, and they gathered in the study of the Eastern Palace for a private conversation that lasted for nearly an hour. The guards outside the study were more stringent than usual, and the door was personally guarded by Duan Shou, the Crown Prince's personal bodyguard, and no one was allowed to approach.
The crowd dispersed. The Crown Prince ordered a sedan chair to be prepared, and as was customary, proceeded to the West Garden to pay his respects to the Emperor.
Xiao Jiu had been secretly watching the movements of the Eastern Palace. Seeing this scene, she knew that something big must be about to happen. But she couldn't get any news and couldn't help but glance at the Crown Prince who was getting into his sedan chair.
Unexpectedly, he was caught. The Crown Prince casually said to him, "Liang Lu is not here today. Xiao Jiu, come with me."
Xiao Jiu had not served the Crown Prince for a long time and thought she had lost his favor. But seeing that the Crown Prince still regarded her as the most important person after Liang Lu, she breathed a sigh of relief, replied "Yes," and calmly followed.
The journey was uneventful, and Xiao Jiu had no chance to glean any new information until the Crown Prince emerged from Renshou Palace. She only sensed that the greeting session seemed rather long.
Xiao Jiu stepped forward to help the Crown Prince, pondering what to ask, when Prince Chang Le and his entourage happened to approach. The Crown Prince stopped in his tracks, and Xiao Jiu withdrew her hand, standing obediently to one side.
"I heard from your masters that you haven't been to the Wenhua Hall these past two days. Are you sick?"
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle Liu. I am fine. It is my mother who has caught a cold. So I took leave to stay at Zhaoyang Palace to take care of her."
"With Fei'er being so filial and sensible, my sister-in-law will surely recover soon."
Yan Chao hadn't seen Yan Fei for some time, and today he found him to be much calmer, quite different from his usual self. He wondered if it was because his mother was ill, or something else entirely.
After Yan Fei bowed and took his leave, Yan Chao suddenly sighed softly, "After all, a mother's heart is connected to her child's. Fei'er has become sensible and knows how to care for his mother. I heard that the mother of the young prince of the Xin Prince's mansion has gone missing, and Tang'er is still so young, I don't know how much he will cry..."
Yan Fei raised her eyes in a daze, and asked blankly, "Fourth Aunt? How could she be missing?"
"It's not Princess Xin, it's Tang'er's birth mother, Lady Wei. I don't know the details, but I heard that Prince Xin is already looking for her."
Back at the East Palace, it was completely dark. The study was still brightly lit, and Yan Chao was calmly organizing the documents on his desk. All the palace servants had been dismissed, leaving only Liang Lu to attend to him.
"It must be Prince Xin who has discovered it. Now that those letters are in my hands, even if he tries to retrieve the Wei family, it will be of no use."
"This servant is worried that Lady Wei's disappearance is a lie. If Prince Xin finds out something during the investigation, wouldn't that be detrimental to Your Highness?"
She lowered her eyes slightly, glancing sideways at the shadow cast by the west window. She then casually moved her pen holder, remained silent for a long time, and lowered her voice slightly: "...I went to the West Garden this afternoon. We'll be able to apprehend him soon."
"Prince Xin is very cunning; we must be wary of him."
"I have written a warrant, which must be sent out of the palace tonight to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
Yan Chao got up, took a few steps to the window, and clearly saw the shadow tremble slightly and disappear.
The night was cold and windy; even the autumn insects had vanished. In the backyard of Prince Xin's mansion, a dozen or so people gathered in an inner room, their discussion abruptly halting as everyone fell silent. Outside, only the patter of the wind could be heard, followed by the faint sound of the night watchman's drum.
Prince Xin felt a surge of unease as he noticed everyone's gaze fixed on him again. He pursed his lips, gripping his teacup tightly until his knuckles turned white. He didn't want to speak, but now he needed to break the silence.
This rhetoric was merely meant to ease the tension at the moment. Prince Xin hated Yan Chao and looked down on Yan Fei, but when it came to the hierarchy of legitimate and illegitimate children, it was by no means his place. He also realized he had misspoke and had no choice but to remain silent.
Ever since he learned the letters were lost, he knew it was time to take action. The Wei family was indeed hateful, and having those letters in their possession meant he might have a chance to retaliate. But his time was already limited, and there was no need to waste any more energy on things that could easily lead to complications.
Therefore, when the spies from the Eastern Palace came to deliver the message, although he was initially shocked, he quickly considered that it was highly likely that the Crown Prince was using this to lure out the enemy. But regardless of whether the news was true or false, he couldn't afford to gamble.
Having lost the initiative, things were rather rushed.
But he had no way out.
The issues that needed to be discussed had mostly been resolved by now. Prince Xin turned his gaze back to the map of the capital's defenses, focusing on the Xi'an Gate on the west side of the West Garden, where the Imperial Guards were heavily guarded, and elite troops from the Five Armies Camps were also stationed.
According to the original plan, he still had time to plan and mobilize the troops in the outskirts of Beijing. But now it was too late, and he could only keep a close eye on Xiyuan. Such a plan was undoubtedly extremely risky, and every step was urgent and pressing. If the reinforcements from the Beijing garrison arrived before the attack was successful, all his efforts would be in vain.
As everyone was discussing the matter enthusiastically, Prince Xin's personal attendant, Jin Qiu, hurriedly returned to the mansion and went straight to the inner chamber to report to Prince Xin: "Your Highness, the inside agents in the West Garden have been arranged. The palace spies say that Prince Chang Le is also staying in the West Garden tonight."
A complex look flashed in Prince Xin's eyes, and he said woodenly, "That's perfect, no need to trouble yourself to make another trip to Zhaoyang Palace."
The image of Yan Fei's youthful brilliance flashed through his mind, and he thought of his babbling son. Prince Xin unconsciously rubbed his hands together a couple of times.
"Time is of the essence. We must take control of the West Garden by 11:00 AM at the latest. Marquis Qingyuan and the Imperial Horse Administration's supervising eunuch have already gone to the vanguard camp outside Desheng Gate. That will be our biggest trump card. Xi'an Gate is our best and only option to enter the West Garden. The Ministry of War's token can only mobilize a limited number of troops. Everyone must act cautiously and discreetly. Before we succeed, the more low-key we are, the better."
With everything agreed upon, everyone dispersed. Prince Xin left one person behind, took a secret letter, and handed it to him: "Open it and read it first."
Tang Zhu is the elder brother of Tang Lin, the husband of Princess Shouning, and currently serves as the Commander of the Eastern City Garrison. He is the most prominent confidant of Prince Xin's faction in the defense of the capital. Prince Xin had previously kept his distance from him to avoid suspicion, but now, it was finally time for him to be put to use.
He unfolded the letter, and the first thing that caught his eye was the vermilion seal. Upon seeing the inscription, his pupils widened in shock: "Crown Prince's Seal!" Looking at the text on the letter, he realized it wasn't in the style of a Crown Prince's edict, but rather a secret order to the Military Command, instructing them to obey. He examined it closely but couldn't discern its authenticity.
Prince Xin said, "With this warrant, you may act as you see fit. Tonight, the army's march within the city will depend on you clearing the way."
Everything was ready; the real battle was just beginning. Prince Xin changed into his armor, feeling a sudden heaviness all over his body. He took the sword off the wall and carefully wiped it clean. His hand accidentally touched the blade, and the word "regicide" suddenly popped into his mind.
He abruptly sheathed his sword, gritted his teeth, and strode out.
Beside the moon gate, Princess Xin stood alone in the night. She carried no lantern, and no one accompanied her; she was so frail and forlorn. As Prince Xin approached, she softly asked, "Does Your Highness wish to go and see Tang'er again?"
"Let him sleep peacefully. Take good care of him."
Princess Xin opened her mouth and said yes.
She couldn't see Prince Xin's expression, but she could feel his gaze lingering on her for a fleeting moment. Her emotions surged: in that brief instant, had he felt even a flicker of hesitation or pity, thinking of her and their child?
But she silently turned around and only heard the sound of his heavy footsteps.
On a dark and windy night, the capital city was shrouded in darkness. Night owls lurked in the shadows, their cries as eerie as ghostly howls filling the city with a desolate and chilling atmosphere.
On the west bank of Taiye Pond, near Renshou Palace, there were few lights and no palace servants to be seen. Only the Imperial Guards patrolled day and night in shifts. The emperor was already asleep, with palace servants on night watch inside and outside the palace.
Lan Huaien was not present before the Emperor tonight. Inside the palace, outside the dragon bed, lay a young eunuch. He listened to his master Lan Huaien's instructions, his eyes wide open, and he carefully observed everything around him.
Lying down for too long inevitably caused him to ache all over. He carefully moved outside the curtain and glanced out the window, noticing that the palace servants in the corridor seemed to be dozing off. It was past the fourth watch of the night, a time when he was both cold and sleepy.
He crept out quietly, giving them a perfunctory warning. As he turned back, he caught a glimpse of what looked like a flash of light in the sky. He looked up, but it was gone.
"Hey, did you see anything fly by in the sky?"
"No...you must have seen wrong, it's a star." The palace maid rubbed her eyes and yawned.
Before he could even close his mouth, a deafening commotion erupted in the distance. The shouts were too chaotic to make out what was being said. The young eunuch paused for a moment, then forced himself to remain calm and pointed to someone: "Go and see."
No one brought the message back.
His response was a flying arrow.
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