Steadying her mind, Hua Zhi contemplated the strategy to deal with the enemy before her.
The opponent undoubtedly sought a swift resolution and would not allow the stalemate to persist. As she pondered, figures began emerging from the Palace of Blessings and Longevity—one after another, until roughly twenty people had appeared.
Dark One’s heart sank. Holding off the previous assailants had already pushed them to their limit. Adding even five more would be enough to overwhelm them, let alone dozens.
“Dark Two, escort His Highness back the way we came. I’ll cover the rear. Move now.”
With that, Dark One made a series of hand signals and charged forward. Without hesitation, Dark Two shielded the Crown Prince and began retreating along their original path.
The hidden guards concealed in the shadows shifted their positions. They did not rush to assist their leader, Dark One. No matter the circumstances, protecting their master was their foremost duty—the very reason for their existence.
Thanks to the ferocious assault of the hidden guards, the Chao Li Tribe members were momentarily unable to break free. Seizing the opportunity, Hua Zhi crept out cautiously. The hidden guards nearly struck upon hearing the movement but restrained themselves just in time when they recognized her.
The Crown Prince’s tense posture relaxed slightly at the sight of the Grand Tutor. He had known she would come!
“Your Highness, come with me. The rest of you, hold them off.”
The hidden guards looked to the Crown Prince, who nodded without hesitation. Even if half of Daqing sided with the Chao Li, he trusted that the Grand Tutor stood firmly with him.
There was no time to waste. Hua Zhi grasped the Crown Prince’s arm and hurried toward an abandoned palace nearby. No matter how much she strategized, the conclusion remained the same: they could not win this fight. Their only option was to hide and await reinforcements. Fu Gang was in the rear palace and should arrive soon.
Their luck, however, was poor. As soon as they pushed the door open, the metallic scent of blood assaulted their senses. Instinctively, Hua Zhi turned and covered the Crown Prince’s eyes, but she quickly released him and bowed in apology. “I overstepped, Your Highness.”
Inside the hall, palace maids and eunuchs lay piled together, drenched in blood. A crimson stream pooled beneath their bodies, staining the floor. The Crown Prince gripped the Grand Tutor’s arm tightly, his pupils contracting as he stared at the horrific scene before him. This… this was…
Hua Zhi pushed him inside and closed the door behind them. Gritting her teeth, she hardened her resolve and pulled the Crown Prince further in, cautioning, “Avoid stepping in the blood. It could give us away.”
The Crown Prince took a deep breath and carefully followed in the Grand Tutor’s footsteps to a narrow gap beside the pile of bodies. Hua Zhi knelt to inspect the ground thoroughly, relieved to find no footprints left behind. She nudged the Crown Prince further into the hiding spot, positioning herself on the outer side—the least likely place to be discovered.
The Crown Prince sat on the ground, staring blankly at the mountain of corpses before him. “In life, they served me. In death, they still protect me with their bodies.”
“Then remember them, Your Highness. Remember this feeling of powerlessness. A nation relies on civil officials for governance, but it also needs military generals to deter enemies. Overemphasizing military might over civil affairs brings no good to the people, yet neglecting military strength in favor of civil governance leaves us vulnerable to humiliation and aggression—just as we face now. Our enemies have seen Daqing’s weaknesses clearly. If our dynasty had more capable generals, how would a small tribe like the Chao Li dare attempt such a reckless move?”
Hua Zhi pricked up her ears, listening for any movement outside while using the situation to impart a lesson. “Your Highness must also remember: we cannot repeat the mistake of the entire court relying solely on the leader of the Seven Constellation Bureau. A nation cannot thrive on the strength of one person alone. He cannot be in multiple places at once. When crisis strikes, a single individual cannot play the savior.”"Yes, I remember." I will always remember. The Crown Prince watched as the Grand Tutor used her slender frame to shield him, and recalling how she had covered his eyes when they first entered, the turmoil in his heart melted into warmth. He didn’t need much—only to hold onto what he had now until the day he died!
Noise came from outside. Hua Zhi held a dagger in her right hand, ready to strike, while her left hand instinctively spread open to protect the person behind her as they retreated further inside.
The door was pushed open, and someone entered, heading straight into the adjacent room. Then she heard someone say, "No footprints on the ground. They’re not here."
The people in the room quickly left, their footsteps fading into the distance. The door remained ajar, and both of them strained to listen for any sound outside. When Fu Gang’s command "Take them!" rang out, Hua Zhi slumped to the ground.
They had waited long enough!
Even if the imperial guards couldn’t hold them off completely, having more people would buy some time. As long as the Seven Constellation Bureau arrived, the battle would be secured.
"I never expected wet nurse Yu Xiang to be from the Chao Li Tribe. She served Grandmother her whole life… How could I have suspected her?"
"No one could have guessed. To dedicate a lifetime to achieving one goal—in that regard, I admire her." Hua Zhi thought of something and turned to the Crown Prince. "The Wise Man is no longer young and won’t show himself easily. The most likely place for him now is by the Empress Dowager’s side. Later, please send someone to infiltrate and check the situation. If there’s any possibility, we must bring the Empress Dowager out. We can’t let them hold such a significant bargaining chip."
The Crown Prince naturally agreed, but he hesitated, "Grandmother, she…"
"The Empress Dowager will be fine," Hua Zhi stated firmly. "She is their protective talisman. Until their goals are achieved, they won’t harm her."
Yes, that’s exactly it. The weight in the Crown Prince’s heart lifted heavily. Just then, a loud bang from outside startled him, and he instinctively covered his ears.
Hua Zhi, however, was delighted. The Seven Constellation Bureau had arrived, and they had brought Black Powder! With this weapon, no matter how physically strong the Chao Li Tribe was, it would be useless!
Several more bangs followed. Hua Zhi instructed, "Your Highness, stay put. I’ll go check the situation."
"Grand Tutor."
Hua Zhi turned back.
The Crown Prince stepped forward, moving past her. "I’ll go with you, Grand Tutor."
Hua Zhi was taken aback for a moment, then lowered her head and smiled amidst the carnage around them. She wasn’t afraid of a ruthless emperor—she had even planned an escape route for herself and Yan Xi long ago. But if the ruler was kind and righteous, that was even better. Who would want the child they had watched grow up to become cold and unfeeling?
The two of them peered out from the doorway, watching the bloody battle unfold. As they saw the formidable Chao Li tribesmen blown apart by explosions, a sense of satisfaction rose in the Crown Prince’s heart. Invade our borders, kill our people, insult our elders—this is the price you pay!
"This is Black Powder. What does Your Highness think of it?"
"Powerful!"
Another bang echoed in their ears. Hua Zhi’s expression grew complex. "All weapons are instruments of great destruction, and Black Powder is no exception. It depends on whether the user is good or evil. We’re using it now to protect our nation, but if it falls into the hands of another country, it could become a tool for invasion. As the provider of this weapon, I implore Your Highness to restrain such a dangerous item and ensure it does not easily fall into the wrong hands."The Crown Prince watched the situation outside without blinking and nodded in agreement. "I have witnessed its power. Once this matter is settled, I will designate a new battalion to master this weapon. This way, the Seven Constellation Bureau will also have a place to go. What does the Grand Tutor think?"
"Excellent."
PS: Kept revising but still not fully satisfied...
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