The wind was blowing and the clouds were gathering. There was an occasional muffled thunderclap in the sky. The streets and alleys were shrouded in a grayish haze, and the pedestrians on the road were all hurrying home quickly.
Yejingtang rode the Third Miss's black horse and galloped past the West Zheng Street. A black lingun wrapped in black cloth was hanging on the side of the horse.
The bird that had just woken up was listless and curled up at the root of his leg, with its chin resting on his thigh. Looking at the street side, it was "gugu jiji..." It sounded like it was whining that it was going to rain and that the master was going to get married.
Yejingtang felt that this was what the bird meant, so he covered the bird's eyes with his hand, which made the bird shake its head and wag its body.
Yesterday, he received definite information that the thieves were going to rob Yuning Marquis's Mansion, and the molten oil had also been splashed. The Black Yamen patrolled all night and set up defenses secretly. The current situation was still unclear, but the capital was as quiet as usual, and it seemed that the trouble hadn't broken out yet.
For the convenience of command, Benben had stayed in the imperial palace yesterday. Yejingtang rode at full speed to the vicinity of the garrison of the Imperial Guards in the west of the city. Since he didn't see Benben's carriage, he took out his waist token, flew up the city wall of the imperial palace, and came to the watchtower in the northwest.
The watchtower itself was an important protective facility of the imperial palace. There were always dark guards commanders stationed inside all year round. The chief constables of the Black Yamen who came to assist in the defense of the imperial palace also changed shifts here. He had been here several times on the day when he saw Benben taking a bath last time.
When Yejingtang came outside the watchtower, he saw She Long and Shang Jianli standing by the city wall, looking into the distance with binoculars. There was a group of palace maids in colorful clothes standing at the door of the watchtower, and there was also a carved sedan chair beside them. Two voices of conversation came from the window:
"Did he really marry more than a dozen?"
"I've checked the historical records. There are more than a dozen wives and concubines with names. There are probably even more without formal status..."
"How could he be like this? The book described him as so affectionate. I thought he was a modest and gentle gentleman."
"Could a modest and gentle gentleman do something like sneaking into the palace to meet the Empress Dowager? Unofficial books can't be taken as real."
When Yejingtang heard the familiar, soft, and delicate voice, he knew that it was the Empress Dowager inside. He slightly tidied up his clothes and came to the door, bowing with his hands clasped together:
"Your Highness, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Inside the room, the Empress Dowager, wearing a magnificent phoenix dress, stood with her hands folded around her waist. She looked pitiful and a bit unhappy. When she saw Yejingtang coming, she nodded to signal him. Since it was an official occasion, she didn't speak and turned her gaze elsewhere.
Dongfang Liren was dressed in a python robe with a jade belt. She stood with her hands behind her back in front of the window facing the city, exuding the aura of a prince. When she heard the sound, her eyes lit up, and she turned around:
"How was your rest?"
Yejingtang had been served by Female Knight Luo without moving a muscle and had a great rest. He smiled and said:
"Very good. Was there any situation last night?"
Dongfang Liren walked out the door, took the bird that wanted to enter the room to beg for food from the Empress Dowager, and led Yejingtang to the corner of the watchtower facing the city. They looked towards Yuning Marquis's Mansion in the distance:
"We patrolled all night yesterday, and there was no movement for now. The tunnel in Fushou Palace has been dug out more than ten zhang. But the thieves stuffed some poison on the way, injuring several people, and it can't be dug through for a while."
"So now we can only wait for the molten oil to take effect?"
"We have secretly mobilized people to come here for assistance in defense. However, to prevent the thieves from setting up a false front and causing the prime minister, the important ministers of the six ministries, and the heir apparent of the vassal prince to be killed in the capital, currently, we can only let everyone wait in the yamen and rush to the rescue at the first moment when something happens."
Yejingtang nodded slightly. Seeing that there was nothing urgent for now, he didn't say more. After sending Benben back to the watchtower, he carried the bird and patrolled and waited outside the imperial city, waiting for news from below.
On the other side, the sky was rumbling with thunder, and the heavy rain poured down among the streets and alleys.
In the block two li away from Mingyu Building, there was a mansion under renovation.
The bamboo fence on the wall blocked the houses under renovation. People dressed as civilian workers and craftsmen successively entered the mansion in the rain.
In the main hall of the mansion, the sundries had been cleared away. More than thirty people stood solemnly. The old man in a white robe in the middle was Liu Qiansheng, the former Boxing Champion. Beside him stood Nangong Shaofeng, the tutor of the heir apparent of the Prince of Wu.
Besides, there were also top-notch masters hired by the Prince of Wu's Mansion with high rewards from the martial world, such as Xiao Yuan, a hero from Tiannan, and Hao Yuanzhou, a spearman from Yazhou. The rest were the die-hard loyalists raised by the Prince of Wu's Mansion and the imperial dark guards who had been exiled ten years ago.
After a year of planning, success or failure all depended on today's battle. Even Liu Qiansheng, who had been wandering in the martial world for eighty years, had a more solemn look in his eyes.
After all, as soon as they made a move today, they would be facing all the imperial lackeys in Yun'an City.
The Seven Fiends of the Black Yamen, the Six Doors, the imperial dark guards, the imperial city guards, and even the civilian righteous men, each of these barriers was like an insurmountable chasm. Even though everything had been meticulously prepared in advance, the outcome of this battle was still uncertain.
But there was an old saying in the martial world, which was "Wealth and honor come from taking risks."
Most of the people present were ronin who couldn't gain a foothold in the court or the martial world. They had been hiding all day long and rarely saw the light of day. And if they succeeded today, they would not only get glory, wealth, and honor, but also possibly the merit of supporting a new emperor. No matter how great the risk was, it was worth a try.
Cao Anning had once been a small commander of the imperial dark guards. Because he was extremely familiar with the terrain of the capital and even the officialdom, he was the main executor of this plan. At this moment, he stood in front of everyone, holding a bowl of wine in his hand, and said loudly:
"Fan Yu is in prison and his life and death are uncertain. Xu Bailin sacrificed his life for the country last night. His Majesty will know of this merit, and the Prince of Wu will also remember it. If this matter succeeds, the two of them will surely be posthumously conferred the titles of duke and marquis, and so will all of you!"
"If all of you can leave Yun'an City alive, His Majesty will confer the title of hereditary nobility without replacement. If you die, if you have descendants, it will be conferred on your descendants. If you have no descendants, you will be posthumously conferred the title, and your spiritual tablets will be enshrined in the Hall of Heroes and Martyrs, enjoying the offerings of the Great Wei Dynasty for all generations!"
After saying that, Cao Anning poured half of the wine in the bowl on the ground to pay tribute to the dead brothers.
Hua la la~~
More than thirty people present picked up their wine bowls and did the same.
Cao Anning looked at the people who were ready to go and continued:
"I, Cao Anning, was born in a humble alley and grew up in the imperial city. My master, Eunuch Cao, taught me since I was a child that when it's time to live, we need to grit our teeth and endure humiliation, and when it's time to die, we should not hesitate! Today, I, together with my former comrades-in-arms, will use our lives as bait to lead away the empress's lackeys for all of you. This journey is a journey of certain death. I only hope that all of you can succeed in this battle and live up to our seven-foot bodies."
Nangong Shaofeng, who served as the military advisor, stood among the crowd and clasped his hands together:
"Don't worry, Lord Cao. As long as we can release Lord Cao, hold back the main force of the court, we have a ninety percent chance of taking away His Majesty."
Liu Qiansheng stood with his hands behind his back and nodded:
"National Preceptor Lü Taiqing, Imperial Preceptor Xuanji Zhenren, Ox-Head and Horse-Face are all not in the capital. The troublesome imperial lackeys in the capital are nothing more than that mysterious master in the palace, Di Ting and Di Zang, and that young man named Yejingtang. As long as Lord Cao can hold these four people back, Yun'an City will be like an unguarded place. Little Friend Cao, you can go with confidence."
Seeing this, Cao Anning drank up the wine in the bowl in one gulp, clasped his hands together, and said in a solemn voice:
"I, Cao, will go first. After a hundred years, in the underworld, I will drink and chat with all of you again."
"Lord Cao, go ahead first. Some of us might follow you soon."
Everyone also finished the wine in their bowls. After clasping their hands together to bid farewell, Nangong Shaofeng led more than twenty masters and quietly left the mansion.
The four or five people who stayed behind were all imperial dark guards who had fled out of the capital ten years ago. Without saying a word, they came to the entrance of the tunnel and jumped in.
Cao Anning stood at the door. After watching all the people raised by the Prince of Wu leave, his tragic look gradually faded. After thinking for a while, he didn't jump into the tunnel with them. Instead, he took out a letter and quietly left the mansion.
Sha sha sha.
Time passed unknowingly to the afternoon. The city was shrouded in misty rain, and it was still as quiet as usual.
In the streets and alleys of XC District, Yejingtang held an oil-paper umbrella and led the horse, walking slowly in the rain. On his shoulder was the extremely bored bird.
When the constables of the Black Yamen handled cases, they usually worked in pairs. But since Yejingtang hadn't officially joined the job yet, Benben hadn't arranged a tough female chief constable as his partner. Patrolling the street like this was quite boring.
But once the molten oil was used, there would definitely be something unusual. The later it was, it only meant that the outbreak of the disturbance was getting closer.
Yejingtang's alertness had never been relaxed, and he was always paying attention to every clue in the streets and alleys. After patrolling for most of the day, he didn't find the thieves causing trouble. Instead, a constable of the Black Yamen ran over from the street.
Yejingtang thought that there was an incident in other places and quickly walked up to him:
"Is there an order from the Prince of Jing?"
The constable stopped in front of him and said eagerly: "An urgent message has come from below. The Prince of Jing asks Young Master Ye to go over quickly."
Yejingtang didn't hesitate when he heard this. He mounted the horse and galloped to the watchtower, which served as the temporary commander's mansion.
It was the afternoon. The Empress Dowager had already left. On the city wall outside the watchtower, there were all the masters who had been summoned. Shang Jianli and She Long were inside the watchtower. Even the dark guard Yang Lan and others were among them. They were gathered around the table, having a serious discussion:
"Wasn't Liu Qiansheng killed by Jiang Zahu?"
"This old devil Xiao Yuan has been on the run for more than ten years and has never been found. He actually dares to show up in the capital."
"The Prince of Wu has really gone all out this time."
Yejingtang came behind She Long and saw that there were two pieces of paper on the table.
The first one was a list, listing the names of Liu Qiansheng, the former Boxing Champion, Nangong Shaofeng, the tutor of the Prince of Wu's Mansion, Hao Yuanzhou, the spearman from Yazhou, and even the names of several officials.
On the map was a street map near Yuning Marquis's Mansion. There were various circles and arrows, clearly pointing out the temporary hiding places of more than twenty fierce martial artists, as well as the directions for attack, rescuing the hostages, and retreat. It even marked the roadblocks that had been set up in advance between Yuning Marquis's Mansion and Kaiyuan Gate in the west city...
After taking a look, Yejingtang's eyes were slightly startled:
"Which lord is so powerful?"
Dongfang Liren stood in front of the table, carefully looking at the battle plan map:
"Just now, an informant of unknown identity sent these two pieces of paper to the hands of the patrolling constable. The information is so detailed that it is highly likely that there is an insider among the senior ranks of the thieves. Shang Jianli, immediately send someone to transfer the imperial city guards, replace the city defense troops in the west city, and detain all the city gate officials. Notify Meng Jiao and ask all the people waiting in the yamen to come to the west city. Order the Six Doors and the Fire Master Yamen to dispatch people to come for assistance in defense."
When Yejingtang saw that Benben had directly called in the main force of the city defense, he asked:
"Is the information definitely accurate?"
Shang Jianli pointed to several red circles on the battle plan map:
"I just went to check the places indicated. There are indeed masters hiding among the houses, waiting for orders. On the roof of the retreat route, we also found traps such as Snow Moth Scales, Soft Bone Needles, and Ferocious Fire Oil to block the pursuers. The layout is closely linked and the investment is huge. If the top-notch masters including the former Boxing Champion are just pawns for the Prince of Wu to create a distraction, then the main force is probably two of the Eight Champions joining forces to storm the imperial city."
Yejingtang looked towards the imperial city behind the city wall.
Dongfang Liren said: "The Empress Dowager and His Majesty have already been moved to the Western Palace. All of you, according to the information indicated, quickly exterminate the thieves and clear the hidden dangers in the west city. If there is any movement in the imperial city, immediately retreat and defend the imperial city. If there is any movement in other places in the capital, don't worry about it. I will arrange for others to deal with it."
"Yes."