The Golden Guard was responsible for the security within the imperial palace, while outside its gates, the Five Armies Battalion took charge. However, the palace had a curfew at night, and so-called patrols merely involved circling the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
Song Mo strolled leisurely from Yuehua Gate toward Longfu Gate.
Upon reaching Fengcai Gate, he spotted Wang Ge standing beneath the veranda of the Hall of Extensive Virtue, waving at him.
After a moment’s thought, Song Mo smiled and approached, cupping his hands in greeting.
Wang Ge returned the gesture with a smile and pointed toward the side chamber next to the Hall of Private Virtue.
Song Mo nodded, and the two entered the chamber one after the other.
Wang Ge exhaled deeply, straightening his posture. "This autumn heat—now cold, now hot—has put His Majesty in a foul mood, and we’re all forced to stay on high alert."
Serving the emperor was like taming a tiger. In previous years, the Emperor would stay in the West Garden until early August before returning to the palace. But this year, in mid-July, Consort Liu, who had accompanied him to the West Garden to escape the summer heat, suddenly died of a violent illness. This soured the Emperor’s mood, prompting his early return to the palace by late July. As a result, all the attendants were walking on eggshells, terrified of provoking his wrath.
The chamber contained only a bed, a chair, and a table.
Song Mo sat on the sole Grand Preceptor’s Chair in the room and remarked with a smile, "By the time the Double Ninth Festival arrives, His Majesty’s spirits will surely lift."
Perhaps due to his advancing age, the Emperor, who had once treated the festival as a day for mountain climbing, had instead hosted banquets for retired ministers the past two years, each celebration grander than the last.
"That just means more work for us in the Twenty-Four Bureaus," Wang Ge said, sounding more assertive than usual, his tone bordering on arrogance. "I’d rather His Majesty went climbing—at least then the Golden Guard, Imperial Bodyguards, and Standard Bearer Guard would share the burden. Misery loves company."
Song Mo smiled faintly.
Wang Ge then shifted the topic. "I sought out the Young Lord to show you something." He pulled from his sleeve a hairpin wrapped in a handkerchief.
The hairpin was no more than three inches long, made of pure gold and set with a pigeon’s egg-sized sapphire, encircled by tiny ruby beads.
Under the dim lamplight, it shimmered brilliantly.
Song Mo’s expression darkened instantly. He sprang to his feet, his gaze sharp as a blade, piercing Wang Ge.
Wang Ge flinched but quickly steadied himself, forcing a smile. "It seems the rumors are true—the Young Lord and his Madam share a bond as deep as the sea. You recognized her possession at a glance. Then I’ll speak plainly. Prince Liao means no harm—he merely invited Madam and young He to stay at Prince Liao’s Residence for a few days. Once His Highness has an audience with the Emperor, he’ll have them escorted back. We only ask for your cooperation."
Song Mo sneered, veins bulging at his pale temples. "You’re not qualified to negotiate with me!"
Wang Ge despised being looked down upon, and his eyes flashed with resentment.
Then, a voice laced with amusement and feigned warmth echoed in the room. "Then am I qualified?"
Song Mo’s pupils contracted, his gaze sharpening as he turned toward the sound.
A tall figure in eunuch’s robes emerged from behind the bed.
Liao Wang!
Shock flickered across Song Mo’s face. "How did you get in here?"
Liao Wang grinned, his pride unmistakable. "I am the Emperor’s trueborn son."So it's a coup!
So it's treason!
Song Mo remained silent.
Prince Liao said, "Yantang, we practically grew up together. How I've treated you versus how the Crown Prince has treated you—you know this better than anyone. I understood when you rejected me before—family duty comes first, you had to choose. Today I brought Madam Jiang's hairpin to give you an explanation for the world. Why must you stubbornly stand in my way, turning friends into enemies? To be frank, I'm forced into this. Have you ever seen a Crown Prince ascend the throne without eliminating his half-brothers? Don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Song Mo pressed his lips together stubbornly without speaking.
Prince Liao sighed. "Yantang, I know you've stationed people around Madam Jiang—Lu Ming leads them, if I recall correctly. I've heard he's highly skilled, and his men are capable. I asked Shi Chuan to deal with him. And your brother-in-law Chen Jia is quite talented too—Shi Chuan has praised him to me repeatedly. By now, he should have been summoned to the Imperial Bodyguard's office by Shi Chuan, enjoying tea with Liu Yu. Since it's inappropriate for others to approach Madam Jiang due to propriety, I asked your father and brother to pretend their carriage broke down during an outing. Even if you dislike Song Han, given Madam Jiang's character, she'd surely grant him the courtesy of resting in the manor. As for your uncle—the Jiang Family has always been loyal, which made me uneasy. So I brought him along and placed him under Geng Li's watch at Prince Liao's Residence..."
Everything was meticulously planned, flawless.
Song Mo stood silently, his expression unreadable.
Prince Liao didn't rush him, standing firm in their stalemate.
Wang Ge didn't dare make a sound.
The room was utterly silent.
The fourth watch drum sounded in the distance.
Prince Liao frowned.
Was Song Mo trying to stall?
Just as he was about to speak, Song Mo rasped, "Let me see that hairpin."
Prince Liao and Wang Ge visibly relaxed. Wang Ge eagerly presented the hairpin.
Song Mo examined it under the lamplight.
A small oval mark resembling a peony petal, engraved with the ancient script characters "Shou Gu."
Song Mo clenched the hairpin, his fingertips whitening, and shut his eyes in anguish.
Prince Liao and Wang Ge exchanged a relieved glance, faint smiles appearing.
But Song Mo suddenly stepped back, shouting "Assassin!" and kicked down the side chamber door.
Chaos erupted outside.
Lights flared up one after another.
Wang Ge's smile froze.
Prince Liao's expression turned icy. "Song Yantang, did you think I'd come unprepared? Since you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
Before he finished speaking, the squad leader accompanying Song Mo drew his sword and struck at him.
Song Mo dodged and sprinted toward the Emperor's inner chamber in Zhaoren Hall, while others engaged the squad leader.
Zhaoren Hall was now brightly lit.
A young eunuch appeared at the entrance with a dagger at Wang Yuan's throat.
Song Mo's face darkened. "Where's the Emperor?"
Wang Yuan smiled bitterly. "His Majesty is in the side chamber, attended by Bai Xi."When the Emperor visited his concubines, he would stay in the side chambers behind Zhaoren Hall.
And Bai Xi was Wang Ge’s adopted son.
In other words, while the Emperor was enjoying his time with a concubine, Bai Xi had taken him hostage.
Song Mo couldn’t help but curse under his breath. Turning to the Golden Guard surrounding him, he shouted, “To die in loyal service to the Emperor is a worthy death. Protect His Majesty!”
The young eunuch’s dagger sank three inches into flesh, and Wang Yuan screamed in terror.
No one paid him any attention.
The group charged toward Zhaoren Hall.
Wang Yuan muttered under his breath, “Song Yantang, if I die here today, I’ll haunt you as a ghost.” As he spoke, he eerily pulled out a pitch-black dagger from his sleeve and stabbed it straight into the young eunuch’s chest.
The young eunuch’s eyes widened.
He couldn’t understand—how did Wang Yuan have a dagger on him?
Those who served the Emperor were forbidden from carrying any weapons!
He collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Wang Yuan scrambled to the corner, pressing his sleeve desperately against his bleeding neck as he watched Song Mo sprint past the main hall toward the side chambers.
Only a single palace lantern illuminated the side chambers.
The concubine who had been favored trembled beside the Emperor, too afraid to lift her head.
The Emperor glared at Bai Xi like an enraged guardian deity and roared, “You wretched cur! How dare you attempt assassination!”
Under the weight of the Emperor’s authority, Bai Xi’s dagger-wielding hand trembled uncontrollably, his voice quivering, yet his expression held a stubborn resolve. “This servant was only following orders. I beg Your Majesty’s mercy!”
Just then, the sounds of a scuffle erupted outside.
The Emperor’s expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he felt a flicker of relief.
From outside came Song Mo’s furious shout, “How dare you! Which palace do you serve? You dare plot treason!”
No one answered.
But the sounds of fighting grew fiercer.
The Emperor’s expression shifted slightly.
Song Mo commanded the Golden Guard and knew every notable eunuch in the palace. Yet now, a stranger had appeared—one who had infiltrated the palace undetected. The only person who could evade Song Mo’s notice, aside from himself, was the one residing in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility at the rear of the palace.
The Emperor’s heart twisted with realization.
He clutched his chest.
The door to the side chambers burst open, and a stranger dressed in eunuch’s robes strode in with murderous intent. He barked at Bai Xi, “Hurry! Escort His Majesty to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility! Damn it, Song Mo is fighting like a madman!”
Bai Xi hesitated, looking at the newcomer.
But the man ignored him, stepping forward to seize the Emperor and drag him out.
This was the first time in his life the Emperor had been treated so roughly. His fingers trembled with rage, rendering him speechless. Meanwhile, the concubine, still naked, went limp and fainted.
Two more men entered, seized the Emperor, and swiftly escorted him out of the side chambers.
Under the moonlight, the Golden Guard clashed with a group of eunuchs. Song Mo fought one against seven, unable to break free, while his opponents couldn’t subdue him either—locked in a stalemate.
The Emperor’s heart turned to ice.
Then came the sound of the hall doors being rammed, accompanied by a powerful voice: “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has arrived late to your aid! I beg your forgiveness!”
The Emperor couldn’t hide his surprise.
After nightfall, all palace gates were locked, and no one dared move, no matter the disturbance. Especially the Eastern Palace—any movement there risked unnecessary suspicion, and the Golden Guard’s patrols there were the strictest.
The Crown Prince had always been weak-willed, and the Emperor had privately resented this. Yet now, at this critical moment, the Crown Prince had shown such courage, such decisiveness, leading men to his rescue.
For some reason, the Emperor exhaled deeply, a strange sense of relief washing over him."Release me!" he commanded, and the two false eunuchs restraining him involuntarily loosened their grip.
The Emperor straightened his robes and strode toward the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
The gates of the Palace of Heavenly Purity crashed to the ground.
The Golden Guard surged in like a tide.
The Crown Prince stared at the scene before him, his face deathly pale, as if he could hardly believe his own eyes.
"Is it truly Liao Wang?" he murmured. "How could he dare take such a risk?"
Ji Yong, supporting him, barely managed to suppress the urge to roll his eyes and said gently, "Whether it is Liao Wang or not, Your Highness should hurry to rescue His Majesty at once!"
Hearing this, the Crown Prince steadied himself and stepped forward, only to be stopped by Cui Yijun, who had been closely following them.
"Your Highness, please wait a moment!" His sharp eyes narrowed suspiciously at Ji Yong. "Minister Ji, how do you have the Golden Guard's token? And it seems to be Commander Song's token at that? If I recall correctly, isn't today your day off?"
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