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Chapter 793: The Crown Prince's Opportunistic Maneuvers
Within the hall, blades clashed as assassins swarmed in—not only numerous in count but also exceptionally skilled in combat. At the very least, the imperial guards were largely outmatched.
Only martial officials like Shen Yueshan and Shen Yungan could gain the upper hand, while about half merely held their ground, and the remainder fell wounded under the assassins' blades.
These assassins had a clear target: the Youning Emperor. Any obstacles in their path were swiftly subdued, and those who could not be quickly neutralized were ruthlessly eliminated!
The pungent scent of blood rapidly filled the air. Shen Xihe remained unflinching, her expression cold as she watched two young military officers collapse in a pool of blood. Dressed in the uniforms of the Imperial Guards, their youth and position guarding His Majesty indicated they were the outstanding scions of prominent court officials.
Filled with fervent loyalty, still untainted by scheming for power, they were at their most pure in their devotion to the monarch. Little did they know that the very emperor they were risking their lives to protect was the mastermind behind this assassination attempt!
These assassins could so easily lie in ambush within Hibiscus Garden and seamlessly blend into the Imperial Guards precisely because there were insiders aiding them. Yet few could guess that the mastermind was His Majesty.
For His Majesty was willing to stake everything—sacrificing so much, even sustaining injuries himself amidst such peril. "A wise man does not stand beneath a precarious wall," let alone an emperor. How could he commit such an unwise act?
Of course, if all this were predicated on framing the Shen father and son, many might come to understand.
At this very moment, the Shen father and son were at the peak of their influence. The more they flourished, the more credible it would seem if they were accused of harboring treasonous ambitions.
This was what it meant to be blinded by success and grow insatiable.
Coinciding with the recent battle in Mobei, where the Shen father and son had pacified the northwestern border, several major tribes were severely weakened. Even if they knew the northwest was without Shen Yueshan and his son, they lacked the strength to regroup and invade again...
Thus, His Majesty no longer feared that the death of Shen Yueshan and his son would plunge the northwest into war.
At this time, the common people held the Shen father and son in high esteem, their reputation reaching an unprecedented peak. The more the people revered them, the more devastating it would be when the Shen father and son were exposed as the masterminds behind an attempt on the emperor's life—right before everyone's eyes. The same people who once praised them would then scorn them.
It was the collapse of a belief!
With public outrage ignited, even those in the northwest who remained fiercely loyal to Shen Yueshan and his son would not dare risk universal condemnation by rallying for the now-imprisoned Shen father and son, potentially sacrificing their entire families or clans.
While Shen Yueshan and his son stood, their followers benefited more and naturally sided with them. But once the Shen father and son fell, who would not prioritize self-preservation?
Had it not been the same with the Gu clan back then?
His Majesty had thought all this through clearly, and it seemed perfect to him. In his view, the sudden and decisive victory in Mobei, pacifying the north, was nothing short of a heaven-sent opportunity.
A heaven-sent chance to cast Shen Yueshan and his son from heaven into hell!
Unbeknownst to him, this very opportunity he was loath to miss had been a trap set by Xiao Huayong from the start, who had thoroughly deciphered His Majesty's thoughts.
To prevent His Majesty—who had long suppressed his grievances in the northwest and suffered heavy losses at Minjiang—from hesitating to act rashly, Xiao Huayong had added fuel to the fire. He ensured the emperor was injured and poisoned, his health deteriorating and his energy waning, forcing him into a desperate, all-or-nothing gambit!"Beichen!" Xiao Huayong, who had been following Shen Xihe, began moving toward the Emperor. She instinctively grabbed his arm.
He turned his gaze toward her, a look that cut through the flashing blades and swords, tender as flowing water. Like the first warm rays of early spring sunshine bathing the earth, reviving all living things and melting the ice and snow.
That gaze was so profound that Shen Xihe could hardly bear it. His eyes were clearly gentle, with smiling ripples swirling within, yet they carried a trace of resolute determination.
"Youyou." Xiao Huayong held her hand, gently but firmly prying open her fingers one by one. His other hand caressed her temple, tracing the contours of her face as if imprinting her features deep in his heart through his fingertips.
"Take good care of yourself. Put your own safety first in everything." Xiao Huayong smiled faintly, then released her, giving her a gentle push. The Eastern Palace guards brought by Tianyuan separated them into two protective circles.
Shen Xihe was escorted away while Xiao Huayong strode toward the Emperor, his clear but hoarse voice unusually deep: "Protect His Majesty!"
The Eastern Palace guards immediately surged forward to engage the numerous assassins of unknown origin.
Then another unexpected turn occurred. The main hall, already plunged into internal chaos, was completely blocked. The Youning Emperor seated high above showed no intention of leaving, determined to maintain his position here.
This caused all the guards in Hibiscus Garden to converge around the Emperor. With their duty focused solely on protecting the sovereign, no one was clearing a path for the civil and military officials to escape.
The ministers anxiously awaited reinforcements, but Hibiscus Garden was quite distant from the imperial palace. The assassins had clearly come prepared, and it was uncertain whether anyone had managed to break through to report the situation.
Though they remembered the guards had Signal Flares - even if no one could get out, they could still launch a signal. The Five Cities Garrison and Golden Guard were within the city walls and could arrive in force within half an hour at most. They only hoped these forces would come faster.
But instead of the Golden Guard or Five Cities Garrison, they encountered another group dressed completely differently from the current assassins - these people wore gray clothes and didn't even bother to cover their faces.
Each carried a gloomy aura, raising their swords and heading straight for the Youning Emperor, cutting down anyone in their path. Their target was clearer - the Emperor himself!
As long as no one stood in their way, these men wouldn't waste effort killing unnecessarily.
This group displayed remarkable martial skills, no inferior to the previous batch.
Even the Emperor's expression darkened at their appearance - these weren't his arrangements.
Of course they weren't his people - Xiao Huayong had arranged for Xiao Juesong's men to infiltrate. Xiao Juesong's remaining followers weren't numerous, just several dozen, but those remaining were all top-tier martial artists. While the Emperor was directing his own staged assassination drama, Xiao Huayong exploited this opportunity to insert Xiao Juesong's men under cover of the chaos.
Thus emerged this farcical scene: the first group of assassins were the Emperor's men. Though permitted by the Emperor to wound him, they carefully controlled their strikes. The second group were clearly genuine regicides.
This placed the first group in a difficult position - they had to maintain their guise as assassins while simultaneously blocking Xiao Juesong's men from attacking the Emperor.
To many ministers watching, it appeared as if the two assassin groups were competing for the honor of killing the Emperor!
One side attacking, the other blocking - neither would let the other claim the primary achievement of assassinating the Emperor?
What audacious assassins would dare such a thing?
Did they truly consider the capital's defenses mere decorations?Little did they know that the very military guards they longed for were now trapped from all sides!
The commander of the Five Cities Garrison could not be found, delaying the troop assembly. The first Golden Guard members alerted were the patrol guards, who were cut down from their horses the moment they reached the gate!
(End of Chapter)
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