Chapter 376 I'll go to the Regent's Palace to check the situation, you can do whatever you want
Upon hearing this, the emperor's eyes became even more vicious, "Announce the President of the Imperial Guards!" His voice seemed to come from hell, making people shudder.
Eunuch Fu responded, quickly got up and left in a hurry.
After a while, the president of the imperial guards, Ran Chao, came in and knelt before the emperor.
"Your Highness, Your Majesty!"
The emperor said coldly, "Ran Chao, immediately take three thousand imperial guards to the Regent's Palace and make sure to find the Crown Prince."
Ran Chao was stunned. He had to swallow his saliva and said with a stiff upper lip: "Your Majesty, if it were not for me who went in from the Regent's Palace..." Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by the emperor's cold snort.
The emperor's face was filled with rage. He smashed the teacup in his hand to the ground, sending shards flying everywhere. "Then storm the Regent's Palace!"
Ran Chao Ran Chao made a bitter face, responded in a low voice, turned and left.
Outside the Regent's Palace, Ran Chao led three thousand imperial guards and appeared at the gate of the palace in a menacing manner.
However, what greeted them was the strict security of the palace's secret guards. Tianyi stood coldly in front of the door, confronting the imperial guards.
"What do you, the Prince Regent's Palace, want to do? I've already told you that we're here to find the Crown Prince on the Emperor's orders!"
Tianyi's eyes were like ice, and his voice was cold: "I also said that the prince is not in the Regent's Palace!"
Ran Chao's expression changed slightly when he heard this. "Since the Crown Prince isn't in the Regent's Palace, why not let me go in and look for him?"
Tianyi sneered, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes: "What do you think the Regent's Palace is? Anyone can enter?"
"We are following the emperor's orders!" Ran Chao raised his voice a few notches, trying to use the emperor's power to suppress others.
Tianyi was unmoved and responded coldly: "The master has ordered that anyone who trespasses into the Regent's Palace will be killed!" His voice was as biting as the cold wind, making people feel cold.
Ran Chao's face turned ashen in an instant. With a wave of his hand, three thousand imperial guards rushed towards the secret guards of the Regent's Palace like a tide.
For a moment, the flashing of swords and the shouting of killing were deafening.
After hearing the news of this sudden conflict, many court officials closed the doors tightly and did not dare to let anyone go to the Regent's Palace to watch the excitement. If they were not careful, they might get into trouble.
Inside the inn, the flickering candlelight illuminated two faces, each with their own thoughts.
Nan Jichen, the crown prince of Nanzhao, said with a playful smile: "The emperor of Dongyao actually ordered the imperial guards to besiege the Prince Regent's Palace. This is really a strange news in the world." There was sarcasm in his words, but also seemed to be some deep meaning hidden.
Tuoba Lie, the eldest prince of Beidi, snorted coldly upon hearing this, a flicker of disdain in his eyes. "Everyone knows that the Regent of Dongyao Kingdom is extraordinary. Without him, how could Dongyao Kingdom enjoy such peace and prosperity? The Emperor of Dongyao Kingdom is undoubtedly digging his own grave by doing this. It is extremely foolish."
Nan Jichen shook his head slightly, his eyes deep: "Xi Chu and Dong Yao, former enemies on the battlefield, although they have no contact with each other now, their strength is equal. If civil unrest breaks out in Dong Yao, how can Xi Chu sit idly by? This situation is about to change drastically." After speaking, he gently stroked the teacup in his hand, his eyes flashing with calculation.
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Lie curled up the corner of his mouth with a meaningful smile: "This is exactly what I am thinking. I will bid farewell to the Emperor of Dongyao Kingdom tomorrow. Winter is approaching, and the land of Beidi is narrow and sparsely resourced. How to spend the winter safely requires careful planning." His words showed both his expectation for the civil unrest in Dongyao and his plans for the future of Beidi.
Nan Jichen's eyes flashed with resonance upon hearing this. "This Crown Prince and the Great Prince of Beidi truly have a tacit understanding. Nanzhao has been paying tribute to Dongyao with gold, silver, and treasures year after year, but its national strength has long been depleted, and its people are living in poverty. This civil unrest in Dongyao may be the perfect opportunity for Nanzhao to break free from their control and regain our freedom."
The two smiled at each other, but behind that smile were endless calculations and plans.
As the night faded, the sky began to turn pale.
The battle between the three thousand imperial guards and the secret guards of the Regent's Palace has lasted all night.
When the first ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds and illuminated the earth, the imperial guards led by Ran Chao were less than 500 in number. They were covered in wounds and fled back to the palace in a miserable state.
In the palace, the emperor was so angry when he heard the news of the imperial guards' disastrous defeat that he vomited blood and fainted, not even attending the morning court.
The court officials were all shrewd people, and they all chose to turn a deaf and dumb.
On the street where the Regent's Palace was located, the air was filled with a strong smell of blood, which was nauseating.
The secret guards of the palace transported the bodies of the imperial guards to the mass grave one by one.
Those silent corpses silently tell the story of the tragedy and cruelty of this night battle.
Lan Xiyue woke up early in the morning and was sitting at the table. Chuchun was serving her breakfast: a bowl of steaming millet porridge and a few delicate side dishes. It was simple yet heartwarming.
However, the tranquility was soon broken by a burst of hurried footsteps.
Qian Duoduo rushed in, looking panicked, and shouted as soon as he entered the door: "Oh no, oh no!"
Lan Xiyue put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, with a hint of confusion in her eyes, "Duoduo, what's wrong? You're so flustered."
Qian Duoduo took a breath and sat down. His face, which usually wore a smile, was now filled with anxiety.
She looked at Lan Xiyue, her voice trembling slightly: "Yueyue, last night the Emperor sent 3,000 imperial guards to surround the Regent's Palace."
Upon hearing this, Lan Xiyue frowned and thought to herself: Could it be because of the prince's matter?
Seeing this, Chuchun hurriedly poured Qian Duoduo a cup of tea.
Qian Duoduo took the teacup and took a big gulp. She put it down and continued, "Yueyue, you don't know. When I came here just now, I could smell the bloody stench coming from the Regent's Palace from a long distance away. It was simply disgusting! I heard that the Imperial Guards and the Regent's Palace's secret guards fought all night last night. The noise was heard by half of the capital."
Lan Xiyue's face darkened completely.
Seeing this, Qian Duoduo moved his stool closer to Lan Xiyue and lowered his voice to say, "Yueyue, you and the Regent are getting married soon. What does the emperor mean by this? Also, do you think this will affect your wedding? And..."
Lan Xiyue patted Qian Duoduo's hand and said, "Duoduo, I'm going to the Regent's Palace to check out the situation. Feel free to do whatever you want."
After saying that, Lan Xiyue stood up and walked out.
As Qian Duoduo chased after her, Lan Xiyue had already disappeared. He couldn't help but mutter, "Yueyue ran so fast. How come she disappeared in a moment? I haven't even finished my words."
Chuchun's brow furrowed. "Young lady, you're skilled in Qinggong. You're gone in the blink of an eye." Her words tinged with pride, yet a deep worry lingered in her eyes. Miss Lan Xiyue's wedding to the Prince Regent was imminent, a supposedly joyous occasion. But why had the Emperor suddenly dispatched the Imperial Guards to engage in a fierce battle with the Prince Regent's secret guards?
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