Chapter 521: Schemes Within Schemes at the Hongmen Banquet (23)

Chapter 521: Plots Within Plots: The Banquet of Blades (23)

"Then take your resentment with you to hell!"

The Emperor of Dangliang was not yet dead. Han Mochen bent down to pick up a long arrow from the ground and moved forward, clearly intending to deliver a final blow to end the Emperor's life.

Wu Yang’s declaration revealed that he was actually one of the loyalists of the fallen dynasty, shocking everyone present, including Su Rao.

And matters concerning Su Rao naturally affected Han Mochen.

Yet, at this moment, this revelation did not deter Han Mochen or make him pause to attend to Su Rao first. The sudden appearance of another group of loyalists of the fallen dynasty had already implicated Su Rao.

At this moment, only one thought consumed Han Mochen’s mind—he would personally end Rong Ke’s life.

Beneath his silver-black mask, his narrow, piercing eyes burned with a hatred that had festered to the bone. Now, at last, vengeance was within his grasp.

Step by step, he approached the Emperor of Dangliang, each footfall seeming to crush the already pierced heart of the fallen ruler. He ignored the Emperor's contorted face, twisted not just by resentment but by the agony of his impaled heart. He should have died long ago—he'd overstayed his welcome in this world. It was time for him to burn in hell.

As Han Mochen raised the arrow to strike, aiming to pierce the Emperor’s heart, a sword flashed faster, slicing through the Emperor’s neck artery, killing him first.

After years of painstaking schemes, this was how he met his end—believing himself the master of all, only to realize he had been nothing more than a trapped rat.

How could it end like this? How could such a defeat have been possible? This was not the outcome he had envisioned!

Rong Ke was dead, his eyes wide like Old Ding’s, filled with unwillingness—a death without peace.

"My children died by this beast’s hands. It should be their grandfather who strikes the killing blow."

The old Cloud King, having slain the Emperor of Dangliang, tossed aside his bloodstained sword. It was over—finally over.

Su Rao had long known that the old Cloud King’s daughter had died by Rong Ke’s schemes, but now she learned that his son—Yun Ji’s real father—had also been killed by the Emperor of Dangliang.

Shocked, Su Rao wondered: Had Rong Ke killed Yun Ji’s father during the Great Qin coup—not her own soldiers?

Though her mind raced, Su Rao had no time to dwell on it. Seeing that Xianyi Chishaou was unharmed, she hurried to Han Mochen’s side. Just as Han Mochen’s fury at the old Cloud King’s intervention threatened to unleash his rage, she grasped his hand tightly and threw the arrow in his grip to the ground.

The exchange between Yun Ji and Han Mochen had already been revealed to Su Rao during their battle.

"Ah Xiao, didn’t I tell you not to let his filthy blood stain your hands? Do you remember?"

With just these words, the fury threatening to overtake Han Mochen dissipated. His icy gaze, which had been fixed on the old Cloud King, now turned to Su Rao.

The ice in his gaze thawed into quiet, and warmth gradually seeped into his heart.

Her concern for him had made her overlook the actions of Wu Yang and his men outside the hall. Wu Yang’s declaration had, without a doubt, thrown Su Rao back into the storm’s center.

To others, this was all Su Rao’s master plan to restore her dynasty. Whether it was Yun Lang and Zhu Xian or Dangliang, all had suffered heavy losses. The entire palace had fallen into Wu Yang’s hands.

Xianyi Chishaou was severely injured, Moying and his Falcon Wing troops had been captured, the Emperor of Dangliang was dead, and the Crown Prince of Dangliang had taken his own life. As for Yun Lang—with Yun Ji present, Su Rao could easily seize control if she wished, avenging her parents and restoring the Great Qin dynasty, unifying the three realms.

Such a meticulously laid plan, pushing Rao Rao to the forefront…

"I came too late, allowing Your Highness to suffer and endure in Yun Lang for so many years. I beg for your punishment, Your Highness."

Without their shadow battalions, the palace was defenseless. Steel clashed and battle cries rang out anew, and in moments, the palace’s inner sanctum—past the third gate—was overrun.

The sky began to lighten at dawn, the darkness giving way to pale morning light, glinting off the armor of the soldiers surrounding the imperial garden and the Hall of Loyalty—the Royal Guard.

The Imperial Guard stationed outside the capital city of Dan Liang, without summons, were forbidden to leave their camp without authorization.

The Dan Liang royal family's contingency plan, now executed in such a manner, made it evident that the Imperial Guard camp had long fallen into Wu Yang's hands. With the palace now seized, the entire capital must have already been under the control of the Imperial Guard.

Only after fully securing the palace did Wu Yang stride into the Zhongjia Hall, kneeling on one knee before Su Rao to first plead for forgiveness.

This man, who should have been arranged by the old Cloud King, turned out to be a double agent. Not only had he played the Dan Liang royal family for fools, but they too had been mere pawns on someone else’s chessboard.

The true mastermind had waited in the shadows for so long, striking with lightning speed after they had exhausted themselves in battle, achieving victory with ease—what masterful maneuvering.

Within her peach blossom eyes, her gaze grew even more profound, layers of shadow swirling.

Wu Yang intended to exploit her identity as the princess of the former dynasty, making her his puppet, under the pretense of restoring the kingdom to crown himself king.

"Pei Liang pays his respects to Her Highness the Princess. Previously burdened with heavy responsibilities, I was unable to greet Your Highness. In our past confrontations, I have offended you in many ways—I beg Your Highness’s gracious forgiveness."

Pei Liang, kneeling again, was also a subject of Great Qin. Then several others appeared—the Minister of Rites, the Minister of Justice, and other high-ranking officials—all kneeling in reverence.

This display revealed that these men had all been planted by the old Cloud King within Dan Liang’s court. Having started as minor officials, they had climbed step by step to these high positions, earning Dan Liang’s trust and becoming his most trusted advisors.

So many high-ranking officials of the third rank and above, this was far beyond the control of Wu Yang, just a General of Chariots and Cavalry. Even setting aside others Su Rao knew little about, Pei Liang alone made clear one thing to her.

Pei Liang’s cunning mind would never submit to Wu Yang’s authority. Therefore, there must be someone else behind them—a mastermind pulling the strings. And this mastermind was not the old Cloud King, who had merely been manipulated as a visible target, used to serve another’s ends.

These thoughts flashed through Su Rao’s mind in an instant. She recalled the old Cloud King’s earlier words—the death of Yun Ji’s father.

When Great Qin was overthrown overnight, who besides the three kingdoms could have known the details of what happened?

Yun Yu would never have been foolish enough to tell the old Cloud King that his son had been killed by Rong Ke. If he had, the old Cloud King’s investigation would have risked exposing his alliance with Rong Ke—and he might not even have known the full truth himself.

As for Zhu Xian, the one who led the troops that year was the late king of Zhu Xian. Those who stormed into Luangtian Temple were the Zhu Xian crown prince and the second prince, both of whom perished that night. Thus, it couldn’t have been the Zhu Xian kingdom that informed the old Cloud King.

Then, who else knew the truth of that night?

If it wasn’t Yun Lang or Zhu Xian, and certainly not Dan Liang, then… the only ones who could have known the details of that night were others like herself.

Looking at these kneeling subjects of Great Qin, Su Rao felt no joy—only a deep, suffocating weight, heavier even than when she had faced Yun Yu years ago. So heavy that she nearly lost control of her body, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Han Mochen sensed her turmoil, tightening his fingers around hers, his demeanor shifting back to Yun Ji’s.

Because at this moment, in such a setting, Yun Ji was far more suited to stand by Su Rao’s side than he was.

And so, Yun Ji emerged once more.