Chapter 70: Conflict

Chapter 70: Conflict

Clearly not one to be easily fooled, Shang Junning rubbed the crumpled envelope between his fingers, his eyes fixed on the ink marks as he pondered, "This paper is raw xuan paper, which absorbs ink too quickly. It's more suited for painting than writing letters. Immortal Spirit xuan paper usually has single silk threads, but this paper has the typical weave of Dong Li... The unfilial son Huaiyuan greets his mother, the imperial consort, and inquires after her health... Your Highness' given name is actually Huaiyuan? What a coincidence, it's exactly the same as Prince Que Dan's."

After speaking, his gaze fell back onto the blood soul jade pendant, narrowing his eyes, "This jade is even more intriguing. The back is engraved with witchcraft patterns exclusive to the Tian Shui royal family. It looks familiar; doesn't Prince Wuyou have an identical one?"

With every word Shang Junning uttered, Lu Yan felt a chill run down his spine. By the end, he could barely manage a smile. It was no wonder that Shang Junning had once been a prime minister; he was far too astute.

Shang Junning didn't open the letter but instead folded the paper and slowly wound the jade pendant's string around it several times, tying it securely. As he did so, he was deep in thought, his brows unconsciously furrowing.

The letter was one thing, but the jade pendant was a personal item belonging to Gong Sun Wuyou. He had seen the other wearing it when he left Zhi Feng Hall earlier. How could it have ended up in Lu Yan's possession without reason? It couldn't possibly have been stolen by Lu Yan, could it?

The only outsiders in the courtyard at the time were himself and...

That young guard they had befriended?!

At this realization, Shang Junning's eyes widened in shock as he looked at Lu Yan, blurting out a guess that even he found absurd, "You're Chen Yingqi?!"

Lu Yan paused but didn't refute it, tacitly acknowledging it.

Shang Junning's shoulders shook, still reeling from the revelation. He instinctively moved closer to Lu Yan, staring intently into his handsome features, trying to find traces of Chen Yingqi within them. His voice was strained, "How is that possible? You can't even hold a sword steadily! Chen Yingqi's swordsmanship rivals that of Wan Pi Jiang, placing him among the top Immortal Spirit martial artists. When did your skills become so profound?!"

It wasn't surprising that Shang Junning was so shocked. To the outside world, Lu Yan had always been portrayed as a rogue and a scoundrel. Perhaps he had shown some talent for swordsmanship in his youth, but as he grew older, he had neglected it. While saying he couldn't lift a sword might be an exaggeration, it was true that he couldn't carry heavy loads or do manual labor.

Lu Yan couldn't very well reveal that he had exchanged points for a divine-level sword manual from the system and practiced secretly every day in a secluded place, sparring with Eunuch He, a master swordsman—

That would be too ridiculous.

Lu Yan placed his index finger to his lips and made a shushing sound, feigning mystery, "This is a royal secret, not to be shared with outsiders."

"The letter was written by Liu Que Dan, who longed for home. He entrusted me to deliver it to the envoy during the gathering of nations, to inform his ailing mother. I thought it wasn't a big deal, so I kept it for now."

Upon hearing this, Shang Junning's expression changed slightly. He hurriedly checked the envelope again, this time truly opening it and examining its contents thoroughly, not missing a single word. "You dared to take on such a risky task. What if he was using the letter to leak Immortal Spirit secrets? How would you handle it then?"

Lu Yan's eyes gleamed mischievously. "I'm not stupid. I already checked the letter privately. If there were any problems, I wouldn't have passed it on. Besides, he's been locked up in the dungeon for a long time. Even if there were any secrets, he wouldn't have heard them."

Shang Junning pressed on, "What about the jade pendant?"

Lu Yan shrugged. "Gong Sun Wuyou thanked me for delivering the items and gave me this as a gift."

At this point, Shang Junning understood everything. He smiled insincerely. "A noble like the Feng Ling Wang disguised as a guard, attracting quite a bit of romantic interest. I wonder if your Highness' efforts to get close to them and learn their sword techniques have been successful?"

Lu Yan pretended not to hear the gritted teeth behind Shang Junning's words. "Liu Que Dan didn't hold back, teaching me many moves. I've managed to discern some of the mysteries. However, Zhao Yuzhang hasn't learned the Goddess Sword Technique, and Gong Sun Wuyou has been overly pampered, lacking knowledge. Neither of them revealed much."

Shang Junning pondered for a moment before saying, "You don't need to worry about Gong Sun Wuyou. The Tian Shui royal family only has him as their prince. I've heard that for this celebration, Tian Shui has prepared a precious treasure to exchange for his return. I doubt the emperor will refuse."

Lu Yan clicked his tongue. "Tian Shui must be quite wealthy."

They casually offered a priceless treasure and even presented the Blood Toad Pill. It was too enviable.

Shang Junning explained, "It's rumored that Tian Shui is rich in resources, with flowers blooming all year round. It's a land of wonders, but unfortunately, it's the weakest among the nations. Its people excel in farming and weaving but not in martial arts, often relying on stronger countries for alliances."

In simpler terms, Tian Shui was naive and wealthy, with its military strength posing little threat.

Lu Yan felt a significant weight lifted off his shoulders. "Since Tian Shui is offering a priceless treasure, I assume Father won't refuse. That leaves only Zhao Yuzhang. I wonder if any of the envoys from Wu Yun know the Goddess Sword Technique. Perhaps I can find an opportunity to investigate."

Lost in thought, he didn't notice the complicated look Shang Junning was giving him. A low, lonely voice echoed in the darkness:

"All your planning and scheming are for others. Do you realize that they misunderstand you deeply, harboring resentment towards you? Even if you return home someday, they won't appreciate any of your efforts."

At this moment, Shang Junning couldn't help but think deeper.

Despite Lu Yan's outstanding appearance and character, he bore a tainted reputation. Rumors spread that he was a good-for-nothing, but who knew that at such a young age, his swordsmanship had already reached the pinnacle? Given time, he was destined to become a grandmaster.

Royal secrets? What kind of royal secrets required such a brilliant man to bear a stain on his name?

Perhaps it was a matter of survival, a desperate measure.

Nan Xun Wang held military power, eyeing the throne covetously. Gu Xu Wang controlled the court, with a deep and unfathomable mind. Although Lu Yan enjoyed the emperor's favor, he lacked support from his mother's family. Life must have been difficult for him. This might have been his way of surviving.

Lu Yan didn't realize how much Shang Junning was contemplating over his casual remark. Hearing that he was plotting for others, he looked up and said something Shang Junning didn't understand:

"Prime Minister, why would the king plot for others? Clearly, it's for you."

"What?"

Shang Junning was suspicious, but Lu Yan didn't elaborate further. He put the envelope and jade pendant away in a drawer, then picked Shang Junning up horizontally and carried him towards the bed. They had kissed and hugged these past few days but hadn't gone all the way.

Shang Junning assumed he wanted to continue what they had started earlier, so he didn't resist. However, Lu Yan merely took off his outer robe and lay down next to him. They had been intimate, but they had never consummated their relationship.

In the darkness, Shang Junning opened his eyes and frowned. "Why aren't you touching me?"

Only he could ask such questions without blushing or feeling embarrassed.

Lu Yan turned over in bed, wrapping his arms around Shang Junning. Lazily, he said, "Sleep. We'll talk about it when your injuries heal. Why are you more eager than me?"

His last sentence was clearly meant to provoke Shang Junning. Upon hearing it, Shang Junning subconsciously clenched his fists but eventually relaxed them. Staring at the pomegranate flower pattern embroidered on the canopy above, he wondered what he was thinking, asking absently, "Do you find my current damaged body repulsive?"

Ever since discovering Lu Yan's other identity, Shang Junning couldn't help but reflect more. Lu Yan wasn't lustful. Keeping him by his side initially might not have been because of affection but rather as a cover.

At least during these days, Lu Yan had never truly wanted him, stopping short each time.

Shang Junning's icy fingertips slipped under his inner robe, never having examined his body so meticulously before. The wound where his shoulder bone had been pierced had scabbed over, leaving uneven scars. The sword wound on his chest had begun to heal, with a slightly raised mark that stood out. Further down, there were old battle wounds from arrows, swords, and burns from his military campaigns...

Like a rough, scarred piece of paper, even he found it uncomfortable to touch, let alone someone else.

Regardless of the difficulties Lu Yan faced, he was a prince raised in luxury. Every item in this room was a rare treasure. A fine emerald of imperial green was discarded without hesitation due to a barely noticeable flaw on its edge.

Suddenly, Shang Junning felt out of place in this room filled with treasures, as if he didn't belong.

Lu Yan was somewhat drowsy and, upon hearing Shang Junian's words, lazily rubbed against his neck, his eyes closed as he mumbled indistinctly, "Don't overthink it. How could this Prince ever find you..."

If one could control their thoughts, they would have far fewer worries. Unfortunately, that is not possible. Too many people in the world like to make mountains out of molehills. When they didn't care, it was fine; but once they did, they couldn't help but walk down a dead-end path.

Shang Junian similarly couldn't control his thoughts. He had no choice but to find other matters to occupy his mind, slowly speaking up in the darkness: "The last time the Prince of Gusu secretly assisted the assassin's escape, Eunuch He reported to the Emperor. Everyone has been caught and brought back, and the Prince of Gusu was also reprimanded."

Lu Yan was already half-asleep, but upon hearing this, he became slightly more alert, subconsciously uttering two words: "Very good."

Shang Junian's voice remained calm: "After the death of the previous palace master of Heavenly Pivot Palace, it was secretly divided into two factions. One part served under the Prince of Gusu, while the other remained in the mountains, ignoring court affairs. This time, the failure of the assassination implicated all of Heavenly Pivot Palace, and the other half of its members were also captured by the Emperor. They are now imprisoned."

He paused for a moment before continuing: "Although Heavenly Pivot Palace isn't known for swordsmanship, their mechanical arts are unparalleled in the world. Just look at the previous assassination attempt. Two Sword Kings, aided by mechanical techniques, could challenge a Sword Patriarch."

"They've been suffering for quite some time. If Your Highness were to rescue them now, perhaps you could bring this force under your command..."

Silence filled the air, with no response. Only Lu Yan's steady, long breaths could be heard. He had gone to the imperial palace earlier, then to the Wind-Still Courtyard, and spent the rest of the time practicing swordsmanship with Eunuch He in the outskirts. In the end, he was so exhausted that he fell asleep.

Shang Junian unconsciously stopped talking and quietly turned to look at Lu Yan in the darkness. His profile was somewhat indistinct in the dim night, but when his eyes were closed, he seemed calmer and more composed than usual.

He silently raised his hand, wanting to touch him, but fearing he might wake him up, he let it fall.

Lu Yan's power base was too weak. Lu Mang still had military authority to protect him, and Lu Sheng had his mother's family to support him. Only he, besides the Emperor's favor, had nothing.

Shang Junian always had to find ways to help him gather some useful people...

The day of the grand tribute from the myriad nations was approaching, and both inside and outside the palace, everyone was busy. Whether it was courting various forces or arranging banquets, everyone had their own tasks. In contrast, Lu Yan, the useless prince, appeared particularly idle.

This morning, Lu Yan rarely entered the palace. He usually enjoyed the pomp and circumstance of having people follow him, but today, he only brought two eunuchs who personally attended to him. One was Eunuch He, and the other was very young, with an unfamiliar face, someone he had never seen by his side before.

They passed through the Ten Thousand Years Hall but did not pay respects to the Emperor. Instead, they took a detour and entered the prison within the palace, a place that everyone spoke of with fear.

"Speak! Who instructed you to assassinate the prince? Where are the other fugitive assassins hiding now?!"

As soon as Lu Yan stepped into the prison, he heard the dull sound of a whip striking flesh. He instinctively paused, looking around, but apart from the silent emptiness, there was no sign of anyone.

Ordinary houses were no more than ten feet high, the dungeon of Fengling王府 was twelve feet, but this prison was a full thirty feet high. The top was pitch black, with no end in sight, and the torchlight made it even more terrifying than the hell of tongue-pulling. The walls were neither mud nor brick but felt like naturally formed stone walls. Over time, they had become cold to the touch. It was said that they were impervious to water and fire, thus eliminating the possibility of others setting fires to break into the prison.

A chill wind blew, making one feel suffocated without reason.

"Here..."

Lu Yan stopped after saying just two words because the environment was so vast that even a soft voice would echo, making it particularly jarring.

"This is the outer gate. The heavily sentenced prisoners are all inside, and we still have to walk a bit further."

The speaker wasn't Eunuch He but the young eunuch with the unfamiliar face. He wore a black inner attendant robe, but unlike a servant, his waist wasn't always bent. Tall and elegant, he made others appear even more hunched.

This person was Shang Junian, disguised as a eunuch. It was inconvenient for him to enter the palace, and he feared that Lu Yan might encounter trouble, so he was forced to disguise himself.

After Shang Junian finished speaking, he led the way ahead. The corridors twisted and turned, complex and intricate, as if he had walked them countless times. They encountered three teams of patrolling guards wearing ghost-faced armor along the way. Upon seeing Lu Yan's face and his token, they were slightly taken aback but immediately raised their hands to let them pass without asking a single word, quiet as mute men.

Shang Junian glanced back at Lu Yan. His voice was low, deliberately suppressed to avoid causing too much echo: "Your face is quite useful. It's said that besides the Emperor and his personal edict, no one can easily enter and leave here."

They had come here mainly to try their luck. If they were stopped, they could seek the Emperor's edict later. They didn't expect it to be so smooth.

Lu Yan glanced around and saw countless jars piled in the corner, about half a man's height. They were all human pigs, castrated and preserved. The smell of quicklime permeated the air, making the decapitated heads with gouged-out eyes and severed tongues seem eerily ghastly.

They emitted mournful sounds of pain, like weeping or anger, sharp and piercing, echoing endlessly in the prison, making one feel as if they were in a realm of ghosts.

Lu Yan touched his own face: "This isn't a good place. Normally, I doubt anyone would want to come here. You know the way better than Eunuch He."

Shang Junian faintly hummed in acknowledgment: "Perhaps I have a good memory."

After he finished speaking, he continued walking forward. Lu Yan, however, stood still, pondering what that sentence meant, unknowingly creating a small distance between them. Seeing this, Eunuch He slightly bowed and couldn't help but remind him:

"Your Highness, it was here that the Emperor ordered the tendons of Shang Guoxiang's shoulders to be pierced."

#Stupid, even he, an old bachelor, couldn't bear to watch#

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan was startled and hurriedly caught up. He saw Shang Junian stop in front of one of the cells. On the wooden rack inside was an elderly man with gray temples, beaten until he was covered in wounds, but fortunately, there was no irreversible damage—like gouging out his eyes, cutting off his tongue, or severing his hand tendons.

There was a rule in the prison: those skilled in ingenious techniques must not have their hands destroyed. Heavenly Pivot Palace earned their living through their skills. Unless absolutely necessary, the prison wouldn't destroy their means of making a living. Otherwise, if the Emperor wanted to recruit them in the future, wouldn't he be recruiting a group of useless people? Therefore, these days, they were only subjected to physical beatings, which could at most be considered appetizers.

But just looking at the elderly man hanging there, already on his last breath, the beatings were enough to endure.

Shang Junian lowered his eyes and deliberately scolded in a cold voice: "How dare you! Seeing Prince Fengling and not paying respects?!"

No servant in the entire palace didn't recognize Lu Yan. The guard who was administering punishment immediately threw away his whip and hurried over to bow: "This subordinate greets Prince Fengling. I wonder why the prince has come here. The blood here is too heavy, it might offend the prince."

Lu Yan knew that the other half of Heavenly Pivot Palace hadn't participated in the assassination. Seeing the elderly man inside beaten to near-death, he subconsciously frowned: "Who is the person locked up inside? Is he worth such severe punishment at his age?"

The guard hesitated for a moment: "Replying to the prince, this person's name is Ban Gui. He is the nineteenth palace master of Heavenly Pivot Palace. The batch of assassins who tried to kill you recently came from Heavenly Pivot Palace. Therefore, the Emperor ordered us to severely interrogate the whereabouts of the remaining accomplices."

Lu Yan was absent-minded: "Ban Gui? That's an interesting name."

The guard explained: "The previous palace master of Heavenly Pivot Palace had four direct disciples: Ban Gui, Li Fu, Xing Shen, and Shan Gong. Together, they form the phrase 'ingenious craftsmanship.' This person excels in mechanical techniques and indeed lives up to that name. Unfortunately, he was blinded by greed and got involved in the assassination."

In fact, Lu Yan's thoughts weren't really on these people. His gaze couldn't help but drift towards Shang Junian beside him. He remembered what Eunuch He had said earlier—that the Emperor had ordered someone to pierce Shang Junian's shoulder tendons—and his heart suddenly sank.

He had vaguely heard about this matter before but hadn't taken it to heart, or rather, he had subconsciously ignored it. But as their interactions deepened over time, he gradually began to care about Shang Junian's thoughts.

Did he hate the Emperor?

While hating the Emperor, did he also hate himself?

Perhaps he was just temporarily submitting due to the current situation.

But Lu Yan really had no standing to ask him for forgiveness. On one side was his father, and on the other was the person he favored. Both were difficult to give up.

Until a clear and crisp voice of a child suddenly rang out in the dungeon, breaking his reverie: "My grandfather didn't kill anyone!"

Lu Yan slowly came back to his senses: "Who's speaking?"

In the adjacent cell were remnants of the Heavenly Pivot Palace disciples, crowded together, men and women, young and old. The one who had spoken was a little girl with her hair in twin buns. But as soon as she opened her mouth, a youth behind her hastily covered it, leaving only her black eyes, like grapes, visible outside.

Seeing Lu Yan look over, the people in the cell were clearly panicked. The sixteen-year-old youth hurriedly spoke up: "My younger sister was disrespectful, please, noble sir, do not be angry."

Lu Yan, however, spoke in a gentle tone: "She didn't say anything wrong; why would this king be angry?"

After he finished speaking, he squatted in front of the cell door and beckoned to the little girl: "Little girl, come here."

The little girl looked back at her brother timidly before taking step by step to the cell door: "What do you want from me?"

Lu Yan asked patiently: "What did you say just now? Say it again."

The little girl wasn't very old but was bold. Hearing this, she lowered her head, tugging at the corner of her coat, which still had patches sewn on it. She said pitifully, "My grandfather didn't kill anyone. We've always lived in the mountains. Apart from going down the mountain to sell goods, we haven't left Gu Xu Island all winter. How could we have gone to kill you?"

Lu Yan became interested: "Sell goods? What kind of goods?"

The little girl fiddled with the corner of her coat: "Windmills, toys, arrows for hunting. Grandfather said that after selling the goods, he would buy me new clothes."

Eunuch He explained softly in Lu Yan's ear: "Your Highness, most of these martial arts sects are impoverished. The Heavenly Pivot Palace also split for this reason. That group of assassins unwilling to live in poverty in the mountains defected to the King of Gu Xu, leaving only this bunch of old and weak in the mountains, making a living by doing handicrafts. They're poor."

Lu Yan thought to himself, so that was the case. In his struggle with the King of Gu Xu, he had inadvertently implicated these innocent people. Softening his tone, he asked: "Little girl, what's your name?"

The little girl took a small step back, her simple eyes full of wariness: "I won't tell you. You're a bad person. You're all bad people, hitting my grandfather."

The nearby Ban Gui, barely alive, was afraid his granddaughter would anger Lu Yan. With difficulty, he lifted his grizzled head and croaked out a sentence: "Ah Qiao, go back... Don't talk nonsense..."

Ah Qiao pursed her lips, seeming to want to cry, but held back.

Lu Yan sighed inwardly but smiled on the surface: "Little girl, if you tell me your name, maybe I can let all of you out?"

At his words, everyone was shocked. A graceful woman suddenly fell to her knees and began to cry bitterly. Holding Ah Qiao and forcing her to kneel, she kowtowed to Lu Yan through the cell door: "Noble sir! Please show mercy! It doesn't matter about us adults. Our junior brothers were unambitious and did something foolish, involving the entire palace. But the children are innocent!"

The woman cried uncontrollably, banging her head several times heavily, blood already showing on her forehead: "I beg you, noble sir, to show mercy and let Ah Qiao out. She is still young and knows nothing. Noble sir, please give her a chance to live!"

The others behind her also knelt down one after another, the scene was quite tragic.

The executioner who had been present earlier scolded upon seeing this: "Impudence! Do you think the prison is some place where you can get away with anything by kowtowing?!"

Those who entered and left here would either lose their limbs, suffer a fate worse than death, or at the very least, end up like Shang Junning, having their martial arts crippled. It wasn't something that could be resolved with a few kowtows.

But Lu Yan waved his hand to signal him to back off. His warm voice echoed in the dungeon, like an invisible hand pushing away the gloom, giving them a glimpse of hope for life: "There has been injustice in this matter, this king is aware. Otherwise, I wouldn't have specially come to the palace today. Rest assured, later this king will meet the Emperor and find a way to save you all."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at the little girl again before slowly straightening up and saying to Shang Junning, "Let's go."

Shang Junning followed behind. Seeing the dim and desperate eyes of the dungeon crowd brighten, some in wild joy, others in disbelief, he thought that this was the supreme power of the king, able to decide life and death with a single word.

The difference was that Lu Sheng used royal power to make people die, while Lu Yan used royal power to make people live.

Shang Junning followed Lu Yan away, walking neither too fast nor too slow past the cell doors. Suddenly, his waist tightened, caught by a small hand grabbing the hollow incense pouch hanging from it.

Shang Junning paused, lowering his gaze to see that it was the little girl named Qiao'er.

She looked up at Shang Junning, her eyes pure, and asked innocently, "Was what the big brother said just now true? Will he really save us?"

Shang Junning gave a faint assent: "Since he said it, he will save you."

Qiao'er's eyes narrowed into a smile: "Then he's a great man. I misunderstood him just now. Can you apologize to him on my behalf?"

It was a trivial matter, so Shang Junning naturally agreed: "Alright."

Qiao'er was even happier: "You're also a good person."

After she spoke, she gently tugged at the incense pouch hanging from Shang Junning's waist, the kind every eunuch would carry: "This ball isn't pretty, not as nice as the ones my grandfather makes. Here, take this."

After she spoke, she untied two balls the size of longan fruits from her waist. They were entirely white, carved from the teeth of fierce beasts, with intricate patterns. Inside was a solid ball, with four layers of hollow balls embedded around it. With a slight turn, they rolled continuously, truly exquisite.

Ordinary skilled craftsmen would need fist-sized materials to carve five layers. This ghostly craftsmanship ball was no bigger than a longan fruit, yet it also had five layers nested inside, indeed worthy of the Heavenly Pivot Palace's reputation.

Shang Junning caught it with his hand, his fingertips lightly turning it. Layer by layer, the ball moved, the soft sounds never ceasing: "Little girl, are you willing to part with it?"

Qiao'er wasn't heartbroken at all: "My grandfather is very capable. He can make many more for me."

Shang Junning smiled, thinking that if her grandfather died, who would make them for her?

But he suddenly realized that such a malicious remark shouldn't be said to a child. Thus, his smile disappeared, and he became expressionless. He wasn't a kind-hearted person to begin with. After enduring so much pain, it seemed that in those boundless days, a bit of dark thoughts had arisen, and in this dark dungeon, it was infinitely magnified.

"…"

Shang Junning reached through the bars and touched Qiao'er's head. His fingertips were slender and cold, but much warmer than the iron bars made of black steel: "Then… when your grandfather comes out, have him make another one for you."

After he spoke, he withdrew his hand and left the prison, his footsteps gradually fading until they disappeared.

Lu Yan had been waiting for him at the door: "Why did it take you so long to come out?"

Shang Junning shook his head: "Nothing, I just talked to the little girl for a few sentences."

After he spoke, the hand hidden in his sleeve moved slightly. For reasons unknown, he took out one of the ghostly craftsmanship balls and handed it to Lu Yan, saying without preamble: "Take it."

Lu Yan was puzzled: "Where did this come from?"

Shang Junning said: "The little girl gave it to you as an apology gift, saying she misunderstood you. Since you accepted someone else's things, you must save them out for good."

Lu Yan gave him a look and sighed softly: "This king was happy for nothing, thinking that this同心ball was sent by the Chancellor."

The ghostly craftsmanship ball, also known as the同心ball, could serve as a token of love.

Upon hearing the words, Shang Junnian's figure stiffened, and he fell silent, inexplicably feeling the other ball hidden in his sleeve becoming somewhat hot to the touch, concealed from sight, much like his own murky thoughts.

Lu Yan intended to meet with the Emperor to release the people of Tianji Palace. However, as soon as he approached the Eternal Hall, he encountered a scene of chaos and confusion all around. He casually grabbed a guard and inquired, "What's happened? Why is everything in such disarray?"

The guard was sweating profusely as he hurriedly reported, "Your Highness, a group of assassins disguised as eunuchs infiltrated the palace just now with the intention of assassinating His Majesty. The Imperial Guards are currently searching for them everywhere."

Upon hearing the words, Lu Yan's expression subtly shifted: "What are you saying, has the emperor been assassinated?!"

Setting aside the fact that the man is his own father, for the sake of his own life, Lu Yan must wish for the emperor to live a long and prosperous life. With the upcoming tribute from all nations, the palace has become unsettled, as various factions are beginning to stir. It is unexpected that someone would actually dare to assassinate the emperor.

Lu Yan hurried towards the palace hall, only to unexpectedly collide with a burly man, who turned out to be none other than Prince Nanxun, Lu Mang.

Lu Mang had never been fond of Lu Yan, and upon seeing him, he scolded gruffly, "Third brother, you're not a young man anymore; why are you still so impulsive and careless!"

Lu Yan inwardly grimaced, thinking how Lu Mang seemed to be growing stronger by the day, resembling a massive black bear, and so he halted his steps to exchange pleasantries with the other: "So it's elder brother, I just heard that the emperor has been assassinated, and in my haste to check, I lost my composure."

Lu Mang waved his hand dismissively and said, "Rest assured, the Emperor is unharmed. How could those petty thieves harm the Emperor? Right now, the entire palace is on the hunt for those impostor eunuchs, so it would be best for you not to complicate matters further."

With a sweep of his gaze after speaking, he suddenly noticed Shang Junnian standing behind Lu Yan: "Huh? Who is this young eunuch? He looks quite unfamiliar. Why have I never seen him before?"

Lu Yan subtly blocked Shang Junnian's path and said, "This is a new eunuch I've recently taken under my wing. Elder brother, I must visit the Emperor, my father, and we can continue our conversation later."

As he finished speaking, he was about to leave with Shang Junnian when Lu Mang intercepted them directly: "Third brother, your mansion has always been the most troublesome. There was just an assassination attempt in the palace, and this young eunuch is of unknown origin and background. What if he turns out to be a disguised assassin?"

Lu Yan sensed the ill-intent of the newcomer and raised an eyebrow, inquiring, "So, what does this brother wish to do?"

With a lift of his chin, Lu Mang's approach to verification was crude and straightforward: "Summon someone, strip off his trousers and see if he's truly a eunuch!"

Lu Yan's expression turned cold in an instant: "I dare to see who would dare to!"

Seeing the change in his expression, Lu Mang became even more suspicious that something was amiss, and with a cold sneer, he said, "Third brother, he's just a eunuch, is it really worth getting so nervous over?"

He had initially intended to cause trouble for Lu Yan, but seeing Lu Yan's evident anxiety, he wondered if the other party might indeed have some connection with the assassin. In a stern voice, he commanded, "Can't you hear what I, the king, am saying? Strip the eunuch's trousers for me!"

Having led troops and engaged in battles for many years, he governed his army with utmost strictness. At his command, guards would immediately step forward to execute the order. However, before they could take action, a heart-wrenching scream from Lu Mang suddenly pierced the air:

Ahhhh!!!!

The guards were startled, turning their heads in unison, only to see Lu Yan, without any warning, launch an attack, delivering a vicious kick right to Prince Nanxun's groin!

Guard: "What?!!!!"

Oh my goodness!

The Emperor had just been the target of an assassination attempt. He was originally resting in his chamber when suddenly he heard a heart-wrenching scream from outside. Instinctively, he sat up, furrowing his brows and in a deep voice, he inquired, "Who is causing such a commotion out there?"

Hearing this, Eunuch She drew the curtain and walked in quickly. He looked a little embarrassed. He gently placed the tray in his hand on the table, put a soft pillow behind the emperor, and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, you are awake. Would you like to try some of the calming soup that the imperial kitchen has just cooked?"

The emperor, with a keen and narrowed gaze, questioned, "When I am asking you a question, why do you evade it by changing the subject?"

Eunuch She was itching to speak, but he thought it would be better to wait until the Divine Emperor had his soothing soup. Otherwise, before the assassin could kill the emperor, King Fengling might just anger him to death first.

Eunuch She knelt down with a pained expression. "Your Majesty, you don't know this, but when King Nanxun met King Fengling outside the hall earlier, they had an argument..."

Upon hearing this, the Divine Emperor visibly relaxed, sinking back into his pillow and closing his eyes as he massaged his temples. "I thought it was something serious. Those two never miss a chance to quarrel."

The room fell silent, no one daring to respond.

Eunuch She hesitated before speaking. "It wasn't... just an argument..."

The Divine Emperor frowned. "They got into a fight?"

Eunuch She's face twitched as he nodded, relaying the gossip he had heard with trepidation. "This servant heard from the imperial guards that... that King Nanxun tried to pull down King Fengling's pants, and King Fengling resisted to the death, so..."

The Divine Emperor's face turned ashen as he pressed for details. "So what happened?"

Eunuch She steeled himself, closing his eyes as if ready to face death. "He kicked him in the family jewels!"

The Divine Emperor's face drained of color at the news, then flushed with rage as he swept his sleeve across the table, sending vases crashing everywhere. An angry roar echoed through the palace hall:

"Those two damned beasts deserve to die!!!"