Chapter 5 King of Qin
"Ayao, you've forgotten that the Three Departments and the Heavenly Procuratorate are the emperor's minions and lackeys, so naturally they don't have a good reputation." Zhao Xuanxu's large sleeves fell to the ground. He said calmly, "Those people should fear me like a tiger."
The "Three Departments" is a shorthand term, generally referring to the Supervisory and Fusi, Jiutai, and Dongyu, all of which were outside the ranks of the civil and military officials. The Supervisory and Fusi were like the eyes, nose, tongue, and ears, following the officials like a shadow, and keeping them firmly on their heads. The Jiutai's jurisdiction far surpassed that of the Criminal Justice Department, allowing it to arrest officials below the first rank without a warrant. Even if one escaped the charges and saved their life, a few days in Dongyu would be enough for the cruel officials there to tear one's bones and skin one alive.
These three sharp knives have been polished to a gleaming shine by successive emperors of Tianshui. They enjoy great prestige in the hearts of people all over the world and can even stop children from crying at night.
Wen Yao pinched the candied fruit and asked: "The emperor gave you the three divisions?"
Zhao Xuanxu: "He only has four sons alive today. He would be suspicious of anyone except me."
Of course, after Yan Cang's death, many people drooled at the Three Divisions. However, Yan Cang had planned to kill a group of them in advance, and he later killed another group himself before finally taking the Three Divisions into his pocket.
The bloody and life-and-death struggle was easily wiped out by Zhao Xuanxu's few words.
Wen Yao clicked his tongue and leaned back: "That Gao Shaoshan——"
"He was originally General Xuanwei of the Sichuan-West Route Army. When I was transferred from Sichuan-West, he and the twenty thousand soldiers of the Feathered Feather Battalion returned with me. The Feathered Feather Battalion was incorporated into the original military camp outside the capital, and is now the Feathered Feather Guard, one of the Twelve Guards." Zhao Xuanxu carefully took out a handkerchief to wipe the preserved fruit crumbs off the table. "The Twelve Guards are also mine."
The original eleven guards were the Bianliang city defense army, elite soldiers selected from all over the country, with at least 150,000 people.
The Three Officials alone are terrifying enough, not to mention the Twelve Guards.
"You're so powerful and influential, you're truly terrifying." Wen Yao sighed. "You're so outrageous, no wonder so many people want to kill you. To be honest, when I saw how big your house is last night, I almost thought Yan Cang's letter about you surviving in a tight spot was a lie, but I didn't expect it to be true."
When Wen Yao said this, Zhao Xuanxu and Gao Shaoshan, who was standing outside the carriage window, were both stunned.
Zhao Xuanxu pondered for a moment: "Ayao?"
When they met again yesterday, Ah Yao was clearly unfamiliar with him. Gao Shaoshan had suggested that women often liked strong and brave men. After careful consideration, he felt there was some truth to this, and had taken the opportunity to recount his achievements and authority to Ah Yao, but he hadn't expected Ah Yao's reaction to be this way.
"Alright, alright. I understand the treacherous nature of the court." Wen Yao's heart was ablaze with pride, and he patted his chest, "I will protect you."
Since the reunion, all the strange feelings about Zhao Xuanxu were suddenly put at the center of Wen Yao's attention. The pressure was too great, and her mood suddenly became clear.
Although the situation I envisioned on the way to Beijing is slightly different from the current situation, it is basically the same in this direction.
Wen Yao's heart suddenly calmed down.
Gao Shaoshan, listening from outside, was stunned, stunned by Wen Yao's unique approach and conclusion. Then, his excellent associative ability, gained from reading through a book of heartfelt stories, made General Gao's expression change slightly. He immediately unraveled the subtle meaning in these words and was deeply moved by the deep concern that Miss Wen Yao, the leader of the secret guards, showed for her master.
He lived up to his name: tall, imposing, handsome, and serious. The surrounding Feathered Guards couldn't hear what their master was saying in the carriage. They only saw Commander Gao's expression shift constantly, his face as sharp as a knife twisting. A chill ran down their spines. After exchanging a glance with their companions, they all tightened their grip on the cracked black-backed knives at their waists, kicking their horses' bellies and moving away.
A dark-colored carriage rolled along the road, its feathered guards adorning it with a menacing aura. Passing carriages and horses, recognizing its owner, dared not approach, retreating in all directions. To outsiders, the Prince of Yan's arrival was a grand spectacle, forcing other carriages and pedestrians to give way.
In a teahouse on the street, a man in splendid clothes watched this scene, his face flickering with indignation. He pointed at the carriages and horses below, then turned to the man in black clothes and a golden crown sitting at a round table inside and said, "Prince Yan is truly arrogant and domineering!"
The man in black was none other than the fourth prince of the dynasty, Prince of Qin Zhao Xuanshuo.
Listening to this man brazenly scolding his brother, the King of Qin remained unresponsive, saying calmly, "My third brother has been recuperating in Nanzhao since he was a child. Father feels a great deal of indebtedness towards him, so it's only natural that he's partial to him."
"Your Highness is kind and gentle, so you say this." Huang Huishu bowed deeply and saluted. "In my opinion, Your Highness has led the troops to repel Japanese pirates along the southeast coast for many years, and his prestige in the army is no less than that of Prince Yan. Your Majesty allowed Prince Yan to seize the Three Departments and command the Twelve Guards. His power is too great. Even if he becomes a prince in the future, he will be a disaster for the country—"
The King of Qin's expression suddenly turned cold. His eyes were sharp as he looked directly at Huang Huishu, who came from a family of censors. "Shut up."
Huang Huishu: "Your Highness!"
"I told you to shut up!"
Huang Huishu shut up. His head, which had been steaming with the sake, suddenly cooled down, and his eagerness to show off in front of the King of Qin also calmed down.
Realizing what he had just said, he shuddered and broke out in a cold sweat. He didn't even bother to look at the King of Qin's expression, but looked around in panic, as if the spies of the Supervisory Office were stationed in this private room where only the King of Qin's confidants were.
The people standing by secretly cursed Huang Huishu for being ignorant of his own life.
When that old fellow Yan Cang had just died, who didn't know that the Prince of Qin, whose grandfather was the Prime Minister and whose uncle was the Minister of Justice, was eyeing the position of the Chief of the Three Departments as if it were a sure thing?
The King of Qin had always considered the Prince of Yong, the most likely heir to the throne, a rival. He had never imagined that Zhao Xuanxu would suddenly appear, subjugate half of the generals, and rally powerful young men from humble backgrounds to form a united front. Even Consort Li and Song Mingde of the Yonghe Palace sided with him. With these various factions vying for power, the Three Departments were unexpectedly handed over to Zhao Xuanxu.
Even though Zhao Xuanxu was of foreign descent and could not ascend to the throne, the power given to him by the emperor was too much.
Losing to his third brother, whom he never took seriously, has always been a thorn in the heart of the arrogant King Qin. Huang Huishu actually picked out this thorn in public. He is truly a brainless idiot.
The King of Qin remained silent, his expression changing several times before settling on a sinister one. He suddenly stood up, reached for a longbow from a nearby guard's waist, and grabbed a jug of wine from the table and hung it on the arrowhead.
"This prince and the Third Prince were close and playful children, but unfortunately, the Third Prince was in poor health and was sent to Nanzhao for treatment. However, this prince vaguely remembers that the Third Prince enjoyed drinking even when he was young."
"What a coincidence! The plum wine in the teahouse is quite good today." The King of Qin said as he drew his bow and arrow, aiming the arrow with a wine jug hanging on the end at the slowly moving carriage below. "I will treat my brother to a pot of good wine."
As soon as he finished speaking, under the worried gazes of everyone, the King of Qin suddenly let go of his hand.
The Six Arts of a Gentleman, the King of Qin had always been a leader among the royal family. The black iron arrow, released from its bowstring, flew like a hawk, hurtling towards the carriage. Gao Shaoshan reacted with remarkable speed, extending his long arm and drawing his sword to slay the arrow beneath the horse. Wine and water spilled from mid-air, soaking the carriage and Gao Shaoshan in the process.
Wen Yao abruptly stopped her movements, pressing the dagger against the window, pressing the sharp blade against the carved yellow pear wood. Her internal energy dissipated, and murderous intent surged within her, instantly cracking the hard wood with a deep line.
She turned her head to look at Zhao Xuanxu: "Is this another assassin?" Is he so brave to assassinate the third prince in the street?
Zhao Xuanxu shook his head, stretched out two fingers to push open the window, raised his chin slightly, and met the gaze of Zhao Xuanshuo in the private room of the teahouse.
The two men were one tall and one short, and their two pairs of eyes looking at each other were 70% similar, yet extremely different.
The lines of the King of Qin's eyes were thin and straight, sharp and indifferent, with a cold and hard expression, reminiscent of jackals, tigers and leopards, unbridled and unscrupulous. Zhao Xuanxu met his gaze, and the murderous disgust in his eyes was hidden in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows, like the frozen colors of spring flowers on the branches, bewitching and dangerous.
"General Gao is quite capable." The King of Qin grinned, a faint smile swirling around the corners of his mouth, like two shadows. "I was just joking with my Third Brother. What a pity... what a pity to waste this green plum wine worth a hundred taels!"
While he was saying this, the person behind him quietly pressed the secret button in his sleeve, and a long needle emitting a cold light shot out at Zhao Xuanxu.
Wen Yao suddenly stretched out his hand, grasped the silver needle with incredible accuracy, and released the force.
She raised her eyes and stared at King Qin. The needle was pinched in her fingertips. She turned her wrist and returned it back without hesitation at a faster speed.
Too fast.
The smile on King Qin's lips froze. He sensed a sharp sense of danger coming towards him, but he didn't even have time to blink.
A stinging pain shot through his right cheek, and a muffled groan of pain echoed from behind him. The attendant, holding a hidden weapon in his sleeve, covered his left eye and collapsed to the ground in agony. At the same moment, a middle-aged man with a yellowish beard and brow tumbled down from nowhere and, with his hands, shielded the King of Qin from behind.
King Qin raised his hand and touched his face, his eyes shifted from Zhao Xuanxu to Wen Yao.
Only then did he notice that there was someone sitting behind Zhao Xuanxu, and judging by her figure, it was a woman.
Previously, the woman was completely blocked by Zhao Xuanxu, with not a single sleeve exposed, so he didn't notice her.
Who is this? Who is this person around Zhao Xuanxu? Why has he never seen him before?
"Fourth brother," Zhao Xuanxu said, his voice drawn out, low and gentle, "someone around you wants to kill me."
The King of Qin said nothing, just staring at Wen Yao. The man in front of him had already unfastened the long sword at his waist, gripping the hilt firmly, and also looked at Wen Yao with caution and suspicion.
Zhao Xuanxu naturally lowered the corners of his lips, which were slightly curved, and turned his back to Wen Yao, with murderous intent and malice in his eyes almost flowing out.
What is Ayao looking at as he stares at these things?
"I'm sorry, Third Brother." The King of Qin withdrew his gaze.
The next moment, he suddenly turned, unsheathed the middle-aged man's sword, and struck the attendant's neck, who collapsed to the ground in agony, clutching his eyes. His force was so brutal that it practically severed his head. Blood gushed out, splattering the King of Qin and the faces of several young men nearby.
"I never thought there was an assassin hiding by my side, and that he would attack my Third Brother so cruelly in the street." A few red spots of blood stained the King of Qin's face, but he was completely unaware. He returned the knife to the middle-aged man and lowered his eyes to look at Zhao Xuanxu: "Third Brother, I killed him for you."
fart.
Wen Yao twitched his lips.
He just talks nonsense and can convict and deal with people with just the opening and closing of his mouth. This guy is really a ruthless character.
"The assassin was able to sneak up on you. There must be many loopholes in the Prince Qin's Mansion." Zhao Xuanxu moved his fingers and closed half of the window, just blocking the Prince Qin's gaze towards Wen Yao.
A smile suddenly appeared on his face, and the expression between his eyebrows was sharp and mocking: "The twelve guards protect the security of the capital. Catching thieves and assassins is our job."
"Shaoshan, take your men to the Prince of Qin's mansion tonight to investigate for assassins. Kill anyone who is suspicious, resists, or expresses dissent. No need to report back."
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