A sliver of dawn light appeared on the horizon.
There was a large-scale shift change at the palace gates. The incoming guards presented their tokens and began the handover.
One ke after the shift change, the Second Prince led two thousand troops from the northern city. The armored cavalry galloped along the stone-paved road, their hooves thundering like war drums, and soon arrived before the Vermilion Bird Gate.
The gate guards immediately opened the city gates upon seeing the Second Prince’s banner.
The two thousand troops passed unhindered through the first palace gate.
When the guards at the second palace gate saw the large force approaching, they were startled and immediately prepared for battle.
"Halt!" the guards at the gate shouted.
Yet the approaching forces showed no intention of stopping.
"His Majesty has passed. We ask the Second Prince to remove his armor before entering the palace!" The guards coldly blocked the way. The situation was clear—the Second Prince was rebelling. These guards had been temporarily replaced by the Crown Prince’s men and naturally showed no courtesy to the Second Prince.
Tensions rose between the two sides. Some ministers who had just arrived at the palace gates, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire, stopped their carriages at a distance to observe.
The Second Prince, Zhao Huo, sat tall on his horse, his broad back straight, looking down with narrowed eyes at those blocking his path.
A rider from behind him stepped forward. The general on horseback produced a token. "Shift change."
The token presented was indeed the standard one, but these were the Second Prince’s men. If the shift changed, control of this gate would fall into the Second Prince’s hands. In these extraordinary times, how could the guards willingly surrender control?
Yet Zhao Huo was merely making a gesture—he had no intention of easily taking the second gate. "Blocking my path and refusing the shift change—what are your intentions?!"
He barked sharply, "I bear the Imperial Edict of my late father. Who dares to stop me?!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, his sword was drawn. The guard had no time to react before blood sprayed three feet into the air.
This act was like a signal. Both sides drew their weapons and clashed in a fierce melee.
One man rushed back to report.
In the Dragon Riding Hall, white silk hung solemnly. The Crown Prince stood in the hall in mourning attire, his eyes red. Many civil and military officials had already paid their respects and offered condolences for his grief.
"Report—!" A guard rushed to the hall’s entrance, cupping his hands. "Your Highness, the Second Prince has led his men in an attack. They’ve already reached the Baohua Gate."
The hall fell silent.
"Hmph, he dares!" The Crown Prince sneered, then raised his voice. "Commander of the Imperial Guard, summon the Tianwu Army to engage!"
The Tianwu Army was the designation of the imperial guards, divided into the Southern and Northern Camps. The Northern Camp forces led by the Second Prince were part of the Tianwu Army.
"Yes!" The commander accepted the order and left to mobilize the troops.
An old eunuch who had been kneeling before the coffin slowly rose to his feet, his hair and brows snow-white. "Your Highness."
The Crown Prince turned, his expression softening slightly.
"This is the Konghe Token. Now that His Majesty has passed, it should be kept by the new sovereign." The old eunuch took a brocade pouch from his sleeve and handed it to the Crown Prince.
Prime Minister Hua’s gaze flickered toward the Grand Marshal. The two exchanged a fleeting glance, tacitly understanding each other, and neither made any move.
"Did His Majesty leave an Imperial Edict?" someone asked.
The Crown Prince shot a cold glance at the speaker.
The old eunuch said, "With His Majesty’s passing, naturally the Crown Prince ascends the throne. Does anyone object?"
Everyone knew this old eunuch’s identity—he was Feng Shi, who had served the previous emperor since childhood and then attended to the current emperor. His position in the palace carried immense weight.
The questioner broke into a cold sweat. "This subject has no objections. Your Highness, please understand.""I know you have no objections." The Crown Prince's gaze slowly swept over the ministers in the hall. "Those who truly object wouldn't be as eager as you to rush to their deaths."
White mourning robes fluttered in the silent hall.
Feng Shi broke the silence, "Your Highness holds the Crane Control Token. With just one command, the Crane Control Army will obey."
Having frequent access to court secrets, the Crown Prince understood the Crane Control Army far better than the Second Prince. He knew its strength had greatly diminished from its former glory, so he didn't place too much hope in this unstable force. Yet it remained a symbol of status—since the founding of the Song Dynasty, only the emperor could control the cranes. Thus, as he held this small token, the Crown Prince couldn't suppress his inner excitement, allowing a faint smile to surface.
An Jiu and Chu Dingjiang concealed their auras, hiding in a side chamber.
Through a crack in the door, An Jiu observed the Crown Prince standing at the center of the crowd. His noble and dignified bearing showed no trace of his private debauchery; even his composed gestures could inspire inexplicable trust.
An Jiu mused to herself, setting aside talent, these emperor-types certainly knew how to put on a regal act!
However, her attention didn't linger long on the Crown Prince, quickly drawn instead to the white-haired old eunuch beside him.
The old eunuch's eyes were profound, his sharpness concealed within. Though he appeared to be in his seventies, his movements showed none of the frailty of old age. An Jiu recognized him—this was the Transformation Realm Master hidden deep within the inner palace...
To avoid alerting anyone, An Jiu refrained from using her mental strength to probe further. From surface observation alone, this was all she could discern, so her gaze soon shifted elsewhere. Scanning the hall, she finally spotted a familiar figure in the corner.
Elder Zhi was at least ten years younger than Feng Shi, but his withered, stick-like frame made him appear even older than his counterpart. (To be continued...)
Note:
Dealing with some matters recently. Updates will resume tomorrow. My apologies. (To be continued...)
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