Chapter 319 Old Cai guarding the tunnel exit
The palace was already under a state of alert, with the imperial guards guarding every intersection and outside the palace. Wei Jiutong, the chief eunuch, personally monitored the little emperor's movements. Although he didn't say anything, he followed him step by step.
Xiao Wuji went straight to his mother's Shuning Palace and looked around. The familiar eunuchs and palace maids were replaced by unfamiliar faces.
Sister Yuli, who came to the palace to accompany him, was left by my mother and should be safe for the time being. We must find a way to send the news out of the palace. The smart and wise aunt must have a way to turn the tide.
The young emperor Zhao Wuji was calculating silently in his heart, and walked towards his mother's bedroom with heavy and firm steps on his two short legs.
The eunuch Liu Cheng'an was gagged with a piece of rag and imprisoned in a side hall of the Chuigong Hall. Looking at the dozens of eunuchs and palace maids who were tied up and imprisoned here, he felt sad and angry!
Damn traitor Wei Jiutong, His Royal Highness the Prince Regent and the Emperor trusted you and let you continue to be responsible for protecting the Emperor, but you, a dead eunuch who lacked the virtue of eight generations, betrayed the Emperor and the ladies!
Liu Chengan was so angry and resentful that he forgot that he was also a eunuch. In his heart, he angrily cursed the eunuch Wei Jiutong, who was a traitor.
The capital was in a dark cloud, and the atmosphere was strange.
The emperor claimed to be ill and did not attend the court. Several important officials of the court wanted to enter the palace to visit the emperor who was not feeling well, but were turned away. The palace gates were closed, and the imperial guards were guarding the palace. There was not even a single eunuch or palace maid who came out to buy things. This was really too strange.
Bohai Prince Gao Huaide and Lu Duke Cao Bin were worried, and they called in the prime minister Xue Juzheng, the vice minister Luo Ji, Shen Lun, the chief envoy Chu Zhaofu and other important officials to discuss the matter.
After analyzing it over and over again, they all felt that something was wrong. Yesterday was a day off, and all officials who were not on duty were resting at home. Today was not a day off, but many officials claimed to be sick and did not go to the government office to work. Last night, several imperial guards were mobilized on the streets, but Chu Zhaofu, the chief envoy, did not know about it. This was really strange.
The honest Luo Ji expressed his worries, "Could it be that someone is plotting and has controlled the emperor?"
Everyone had this suspicion in their hearts. After hearing what Lord Luo said, they started to discuss it without any hesitation. If there really was someone plotting with evil ambitions, the most urgent thing was how to rescue the emperor?
Cao Bin pondered for a moment and suggested, "Your Highness the Regent Prince is not in the capital. You must tell the Regent Princess about this and see if the prince has left any means to defeat the enemy?"
"Yes! I'll tell Li'er to prevent her from being in danger. Let her prepare early." Luo Ji couldn't sit still anymore, so he got up and ran out.
The Regent Prince's Mansion was surrounded by a team of imperial guards. Shadow Guard asked the princess with inexplicable anger whether she should rush out?
Luo Li's nervous heart was beating wildly, her palms were sweaty, but her mind was very calm.
"Since the imperial guards have surrounded the palace by order and are not allowing people in and out, we can't fight hard.
Mo Ming, take six shadow guards, we will go through the tunnel and head directly to the Mo Yun Cavalry Camp in the south of the city. Hong Gu, go to the Big Foot Women's Corps Camp in the west of the city and transfer all 800 female soldiers to the Mo Yun Cavalry Camp in the south of the city."...
The group came out of the tunnel, and the old man who was guarding the gate in the gatehouse was waiting in the study at the exit of the tunnel.
Hong Gu, who got out first, was startled and stabbed the old man's neck with the sword in her hand. "What are you doing here?"
The old man who was guarding the door had a wrinkled face, and suddenly a gleam of brilliance shot out from his dim eyes. "I am Old Cai, ordered by the prince to guard the exit of this tunnel. Today, the imperial guards surrounded the palace, and I am waiting for the princess here."
Luo Li was pushed up inexplicably while holding her son. Old Cai stood up from his seat and bowed respectfully. "I am Old Cai, and I am here to see the Regent Princess."
Knowing that this person was arranged by Zhao Defang, Luo Li immediately trusted him. "Don't be polite, Mr. Cai, we need to leave the city, can you arrange it?"
Old Cai straightened up, and his hunched body actually revealed a domineering aura.
"Reporting to the princess, all the shadow guards know about the underground tunnel leading out of the city. I am an old servant beside the prince's master. After following the prince down the mountain, I am responsible for protecting his safety.
The prince has ordered that if the princess encounters danger in the capital, I will be at the princess' disposal to protect your safety."
Is this a peerless master? Luo Li looked up and down at the plain-looking Old Cai, her eyes full of trust: "Ghost Hand followed the prince to the battlefield, and now another peerless master has appeared. The safety of this princess and my son is in your hands."
Old Cai smiled, "Thank you for your trust, princess. The prince's master, Uncle Wu Chi, will also be here in the next two days. You will have no shortage of peerless masters around you."
"Really?" Luo Li was even more surprised. Zhao Defang's master Feng Xuanzi was someone who could defeat the demon Xuan Yinzi. Wu Chizi looked down on Ghost Hand Poison Doctor's martial arts. These two people are the real peerless masters in the world, right?
Damn it! With bodyguards of this level, what else do I have to be afraid of?
The personal guards of the Moyun Cavalry of the Regent Prince Zhao Defang have been expanded to 6,000 people. He took 3,000 to the front line, and left 3,000 Moyun Cavalry elite soldiers in the military camp outside the capital, responsible for the safety of the princess and his son.
Cheng Haonan, the chief of the imperial guards, personally led 20,000 elite imperial guards and set up a guard three miles away from the Moyun Cavalry camp.
Even so, Cheng Haonan was still unsure. He did not dare to be confident that the 20,000 elite imperial guards under his command could eliminate the 3,000 elite Moyun Cavalry. However, since a coup was being launched in the palace, the 3,000 Moyun Cavalry, who were feared by everyone, must be kept under close watch and not allowed to make any unusual moves.
Cheng Haonan was worried about another thing. At the critical moment, he realized that the prestige of Regent Prince Zhao Defang in the Song army was too high. When he brought 20,000 troops here yesterday and formed a semi-encirclement formation in front of the Mo Yun Cavalry Camp, these 20,000 imperial guards almost had an uprising.
In the hearts of the soldiers of the Song army, the Song Dynasty's god of war, Regent Prince Zhao Defang, is someone they worship like a god. Asking them to fight with the personal soldiers of His Majesty the Regent Prince would be a betrayal of their own beliefs.
As for saying that Regent Prince Zhao Defang has wolfish ambitions to rebel and usurp the throne, even Cheng Haonan himself would not believe this reason. The dragon throne under the little emperor's butt was given to him by Regent Prince Zhao Defang. It would be a miracle if the soldiers of the Song Dynasty believed this crime as an excuse.
Cheng Haonan complained about his ambitious elder brother in his heart. Instigated by several ministers, he was obsessed with overthrowing the Regent Zhao Defang and replacing him as the regent. He didn't even consider the pros and cons of the new royal family of the Cheng family. Would he be a match for the Regent Zhao Defang?
Cheng Haonan sat in the big tent depressed, thinking about his worries in a heavy and flustered mood. After the incident, his old father and elder brother told him about this shocking conspiracy. The plan had already started. As a member of the Cheng family, Cheng Haonan had no other choice.
"Report!... Lord Du Yuhou, the Regent Princess is here and wants to enter the Moyun Cavalry Camp." A junior officer ran in and knelt on one knee to report.