Chapter 48 Secret Passage
Wen Yao's expression didn't look right.
Her brows furrowed, her lips pressed into a faint red line as she gazed down at the neatly arranged bricks and stones of the palace floor, the pebbles paved in a variety of patterns. Wen Yao's thoughts raced, recalling the strangeness she'd noticed the first time she'd walked in front of the Lama Temple and stepped on the ground.
There is something very strange going on underground in Tianshui Palace. It seems empty when you walk on it, so there must be many secret passages.
For example, the stone gate in front of you that is abruptly embedded in the rockery.
But even if Jiang Qiaosheng had great connections, it would be impossible for him to build a secret passage in the palace without making any noise.
So the question is, how did Jiang Qiaosheng know about the secret passage in the palace?
Zhao Xuanxu saw what Wen Yao was thinking.
His eyes fell on Wen Yao's profile. She had just killed Die La, and the barbarian's blood, hot and fishy, splashed on her chin, like a vivid and fragrant flower growing from under her collar.
After watching for a while, Zhao Xuanxu suddenly took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and approached Wen Yao. He was very close, holding the handkerchief and gently wiping Wen Yao's face, and very measuredly withdrew his hand before Wen Yao took a step back.
The bright red bloodstains fell onto the white and soft satin, rolling out the rich color, which really looked like flower juice.
Zhao Xuanxu's expression was calm, and his actions were calm as well. No matter how Wen Yao looked at him, she couldn't tell that his heart was burning uncontrollably.
He said seriously, "Emperor Taizu of Tianshui was originally the inspector of the various guards in front of the palace of the previous dynasty. After he became emperor, he slightly renovated the palace of the previous dynasty, and it is now the Tianshui Palace. Most of the secret passages are left over from the previous dynasty. If Ayao is interested and finds the blueprints of the craftsmen from that time, it will not be difficult to find the secret passages."
Wen Yao's eyes swept over the handkerchief, and after a moment he shook his head: "Just finding the blueprints is hard enough."
The chaos had just subsided somewhat when the Imperial Physician arrived in a hurry. The white-bearded old man examined the emperor's injuries, and then everyone rushed forward to carry the emperor and Yelu Huishi away for treatment.
The imperial guards locked the palace gates, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving. However, now that the assassin had vanished and the real threat of life and death had dissipated, the ministers and concubines, though their faces were heavy and gloomy, could not help but become active.
If... if the emperor didn't survive this time, he would probably become the first emperor of Tianshui to be killed at a court banquet in the imperial palace.
The position of Crown Prince hangs in the balance, and the Tianshui government is in turmoil. They've already split up, each serving their own master. Whether or not to contact outsiders and take drastic action depends on whether the emperor can pull through this time.
Fortunately, the Imperial Hospital's medical skills were exceptional, and they brought the emperor back to health. Various acupuncture and moxibustion techniques, as well as precious medicinal herbs, were used on the emperor, and within an hour, the emperor opened his eyes to the eager anticipation of the crowd, some genuine and some fake.
The emperor was still weak and barely held his breath to instruct Prince Yong and Prince Qin to jointly manage the government, and ordered Song Mingde to cooperate with Prince Yan. No matter what, they must completely eradicate the Red Pavilion before he fell into a coma again.
The Emperor of Tianshui was saved, but Yelu Huishi was poisoned, and the toxicity was so severe that it was irreversible. Despite the best efforts of the Imperial Hospital, he still died amidst the despairing gazes of the Liao people.
Upon hearing the news, Prince Yong and Prince Qin were leading a group of important officials in the Lama Temple to discuss the arrest of the assassin. Both Prince Yong's and Prince Qin's followers had a tense expression on their faces, sensing that something was amiss.
Most people agree that Tianshui is weak and cannot withstand a war against Northern Liao. After the war years ago, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun have always been a hidden danger between the two countries. With the death of Yelu Huishi in the Tianshui Imperial Palace, war between Tianshui and Northern Liao is inevitable.
There was a burst of pushing and shouting outside the Yonghe Palace. Agu rushed in with a group of Liao people, with swords on his waist. The eyes of this man who had always been steady and self-controlled were red.
"My Third Prince of Bei Liao was killed in Tianshui." Agu gritted his teeth, each word one by one, and said with hatred: "Aren't you going to give Bei Liao an explanation?!"
Prince Yong quickly stepped forward from behind the crowd and soothed him, saying, "Tianshui will give Beiliao an explanation. Your Majesty's assassination and the death of Prince Yelu were both the work of the Red Pavilion assassins. Tianshui will do everything in their power to apprehend the assassins. We will then hand them over to Beiliao for their disposal."
Any words seemed pale and powerless at this time, and this answer was certainly not enough to appease Agu.
He was older than Yelu Huishi and was Yelu Huishi's confidant. They had a deep relationship and could not accept Yelu Huishi's hasty and tragic end.
Agu's face twitched, and his eyes shone with an animalistic light, clearly filled with hatred. The Liao people behind him also tightened their grip on their swords.
It's true they came with ill intentions, and it's also true they were looking for a reason to start a war with Tianshui. But the price they paid definitely didn't include the loss of a single prince. Yelu Huishi was Duo Yueli's biological son. Coming to Tianshui but never being able to return to the Northern Liao grasslands, Duo Yueli's fury was understandable.
Agu said softly with a terrifying tone, "Northern Liao will never let Yelu Huishi die in vain."
The threat in his words was too strong and he didn't give anyone any face at all. At that moment, the faces of the people in Tianshui also looked ugly.
These Liao people were simply not listening. The King of Qin waved his hand, and the imperial guards rushed in and "invited" these leaderless and unrestrained Northern Liao envoys to leave.
"What should we do now?" Zhang Yun sighed as he stood behind Zhao Xuanxu. "This battle has to be fought."
There is no need for the Liao envoy to return to Northern Liao. As long as Northern Liao receives the news of Yelu Huishi's death, it will be furious and declare war on Tianshui.
For a moment, no one in the hall responded to his words, and the atmosphere was very subtle.
The ministers were clearly divided into several factions. The Yongwang Party was opposite the Qinwang Party, while the generals from western Sichuan headed by Gao Shaoshan and Zhang Yun and others stood on Zhao Xuanxu's side.
Wen Yao was a woman and held no official position, but no one objected to her being in the Yonghe Palace at this moment.
But Zhao Xuanxu didn't listen to Zhang Yun's words at all.
He lowered his eyes, looking nonchalant. He didn't want to stay in the hall and listen to a group of people discussing how to catch the assassin. He just wanted to go back and have dinner and set off fireworks with Wen Yao.
He doesn't care, but Wen Yao does.
She stood by, her thumb pressed against the Xingyi Sword, listening intently. But before her trusted advisors could come up with a plan for labeling the Red Pavilion a cult, someone hurried in to report.
The man knelt down and said, "Report! Governor Song has brought his badge and summoned five hundred imperial guards, along with the factory supervisor, to surround the Qiongyu Tower."
Wen Yao's back suddenly tensed up.
Except for her and Zhao Xuanxu, everyone else in the hall looked confused when they heard the news.
Qiongyu Tower was well-known throughout Bianliang, and everyone from ordinary peddlers to the nobility knew about it. They were puzzled as to why Song Mingde, at this critical moment, did not investigate the assassins but surrounded a brothel.
The King of Qin's eyes darkened, as if realizing something, and he spoke, "I remember that the Liao envoy went to Qiongyu Tower when he first arrived in Bianliang a few days ago, and for some reason, he had a conflict with Governor Song."
Sure enough, any disturbance that had anything to do with conspiracy or intrigue could not be hidden from these foxes.
Prince Yong glanced at Prince Qin and spoke softly, "The Red Pavilion assassinated my father, deliberately murdered Prince Yelu, and provoked disputes between the two countries. They are truly a traitor and rebel. Governor Song has been loyal and dedicated for many years. Could it be that he has discovered that the Red Pavilion is involved with the Qiongyu Tower?"
...Genius, you just told the truth.
Qiongyu Tower was Qiongyu Tower, and Hongge was Hongge. Wen Yao didn't know whether Lou Chengyi and Jiang Qiaosheng had any business dealings before. But during this assassination at the imperial banquet, the two were definitely in contact.
No one knew what price Lou Chengyi promised to make Jiang Qiaosheng agree to kill Yelu Hui for him, which made Hongge suddenly become a thorn in the side of both Tianshui and Beiliao.
Wen Yao frowned for a moment, then quickly relaxed, her expression returning to normal. She leaned closer to Zhao Xuanxu and gently touched his arm.
Zhao Xuanxu looked at her, then lowered his head. His slender, powerful fingers untied the token wrapped around his waist and tossed it to Gao Shaoshan. His voice was low, but the moment he spoke, the entire Lama Temple fell silent.
"Mobilize the Feathered Guards and the Huben Army to surround the city gates and search the streets, including the underground market. No one is allowed to act rashly within the Qiongyu Tower." Zhao Xuanxu glanced at Gao Shaoshan. "Anyone who disobeys will be killed."
The combined number of the Feathered Guards and the Huben Army exceeded 10,000, and they were all the elite of the Twelve Guards. Gao Shaoshan and a middle-aged general stepped forward to receive the order and left, leaving the others in the hall looking at each other, all of them feeling a little strange.
Prince Yan's temperament... even now, when His Majesty was being assassinated, he was still somewhat uncharacteristically active. And the phrase "no one should act rashly" should also include Governor Song?
It is clear that His Royal Highness Prince Yan is at odds with Governor Song and wants to compete for credit with him!
Before he fell unconscious, the emperor had personally stated that the task of defending Bianliang and tracking down the assassin would be left to Zhao Xuanxu and Song Mingde. This was a solemn promise, and no one could comment on their actions at this moment. Furthermore, neither Zhao Xuanxu nor Song Mingde would care, let alone listen, even if someone else expressed their opinion.
No one spoke, and Zhao Xuanxu didn't intend to wait for anyone to speak. After giving the order, he turned and walked out of the Yonghe Palace.
Wen Yao followed him until he was out of sight of the people in the hall, then he approached and said, "Lou Chengyi is leaving today."
"Oh." As soon as she opened her mouth, Zhao Xuanxu stopped and lowered his head to listen to her carefully.
He blinked his eyes: "Ayao is going to see him off?"
Wen Yao sighed deeply: "It's humorous, and now you're still giving me a fart."
I'm afraid Lou Chengyi himself didn't even think about seeing Wen Yao off, because the last thing he did on his last day in Bianliang was to join forces with Jiang Qiaosheng to kill Yelu Huishi.
Wen Yao didn't expect that these two people would cooperate, but he could understand why Lou Chengyi wanted to kill Yelu Huishi.
He wanted to return to Northern Liao to establish himself. Naturally, the more chaotic the situation, the better for both Northern Liao and Tianshui. The more chaotic the situation, the greater his value, and the more opportunities he could seize to climb the ladder. In a stable world, there was no room for advancement; only war and chaos could forge heroes whose names would be remembered for eternity.
Fortunately, Lou Chengyi had always been at war with the Queen of Northern Liao, and was not afraid of their revenge. He simply took the opportunity to eliminate Yelu Huishi, one of the contenders for the throne of Northern Liao, and let him live out his last bit of life in Tianshui.
But Yelu Huishi was, after all, a prince of Northern Liao. A prince of a nation could kill at will, ruthlessly and decisively, with audacity and recklessness. It was a shame that Lou Chengyi and Jiang Qiaosheng, one of whom dared to raise the issue, the other to accept it.
While he was thinking, two armored officers of the Imperial Guard came over, each holding a horse in his hand.
No carriages or horses were allowed into the palace. The Imperial Guards were under the Emperor's personal command, independent of the Twelve Guards and not Zhao Xuanxu's subordinates. The two Imperial Guard commanders, with a slightly fawning expression, said to Zhao Xuanxu at Wen Yao's side, "Your Highness must march to apprehend the traitors. There's no time to lose. This is an urgent matter. Please mount your horses, Your Highness and Commander Wen."
It was obvious that the two of them had put some thought into it. Knowing that Prince Yan had been inseparable from the world-famous Commander Wen during this period, they specially prepared two horses.
Their thoughts are not hidden and are easy to understand.
The Imperial Guards' duty is to guard the palace and protect the Emperor. Even if the assassins had ambushed them and infiltrated through a secret passage, the Imperial Guards would have failed to perform their duties. His Majesty has aged, and his temper has worsened. He's still recovering from his injuries, and once he does, he'll undoubtedly be furious and punish the Imperial Guards, just as he did during the last God's Day celebration.
They had just been transferred and had encountered such a thing, and they were miserable. Now they were trying to please the King of Yan, hoping to get some good words from him in the future.
All I can say is that they think this way because they don’t know Zhao Xuanxu well enough.
Zhao Xuanxu appears gentle, noble, melancholy and pitiable on the surface, but he is actually extremely indifferent inside and often lacks a sense of human identity.
He even dared to drive his own mother crazy, and even considered killing his own father and brothers, completely ignoring the fact that he also had the surname Zhao. Aside from a few select individuals, Zhao Xuanxu would not take other people's kindness to him seriously.
As expected, Zhao Xuanxu didn't even glance at the two imperial guard commanders. He simply reached out and took the reins of one of the horses and handed it to Wen Yao. The two mounted their horses and galloped through the palace. The gatekeeper, guarding the palace gate, saw Zhao Xuanxu from afar, his breath rising in his chest as he hurriedly opened the gate.
Wen Yao and Zhao Xuanxu did not slow down at all, and disappeared on the streets of Fengming with a gust of cold wind.
Even beneath the emperor's feet, the people of Bianliang were living in turmoil. The emperor faced two assassination attempts within a single month, each one a scene of utter chaos and utter commotion. This time, on New Year's Day, the scent of firecrackers that Wen Yao had smelled when he left home that morning had vanished, and the throngs of pedestrians were afraid to venture out into the streets.
Coming out of Fengming Street and heading towards the North and South Imperial Streets, there were ferocious-looking Feather Guards and Huben Army soldiers everywhere. They were wearing iron armor, holding swords and guns, and were as cold and awe-inspiring as Yama. The people were so frightened that they closed their doors and windows tightly.
After Wen Yao came out of the palace, he rode his horse straight to Qiong Yu Tower.
The further they walked toward the Bian River, the more vendors scattered along the street. Song Mingde acted quickly, immediately bringing his men to surround the Qiongyu Building. Surrounded by the bustling Bian River shops, shopkeepers and vendors had no time to leave; they had to stand aside and be searched by the factory supervisor before they could leave.
As soon as Zhao Xuanxu appeared, the Feathered Guards rode forward, one on each side, clearing the way for him. The noisy crowd was silenced by the ironclad weight of the Feathered Guards, and the surrounding Imperial Guards retreated, all making way for him.
On the other side of the avenue, Song Mingde stood at the door of Qiongyu Tower with a pale face and dark eyebrows, holding a knife, his dark red clothes extremely flamboyant.
The guard beside him turned to look at Zhao Xuanxu, stepped forward and whispered, "Superintendent, the people are coming."
Song Mingde was not surprised that Wen Yao and Zhao Xuanxu would come, or rather, he had expected Wen Yao to come.
His expression was uncertain, and he gently touched his chest with his palm, where his internal organs still ached dully. Jiang Qiaosheng's palm strike had been incredibly brutal, and Song Mingde didn't even take a moment to rest and recuperate. He hurriedly downed a bowl of medicine and led his men over.
He had a guess in his mind that needed to be confirmed.
Song Mingde turned his head to look at Wen Yao, and there was a strong smell of blood in his breath.
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