Chapter 198 – The Sycophant, Huo Lang

Chapter 198 - The Sycophant, Huo Lang

Some matters should not be pondered too deeply, lest they wound both others and oneself.

Huo Lang stood up, finally understanding why Lu Yan was so insistent on protecting the assassin. He was about to leave the dungeon with his men when, unexpectedly, Wei Hong's hoarse voice echoed from behind:

"Do you truly believe that our army perished outside the Guiyan Pass merely due to the lack of provisions?"

"Huo Lang, today the emperor targets my Wei family; next will be your turn."

His tone was surprisingly calm, yet in the eerie dungeon, it sent an inexplicable chill down one’s spine. Huo Lang silently tucked his hands into his sleeves, sensing from these words that the incident at Guiyan Pass was far from simple. Slowly turning around, he looked at Wei Hong.

The noble son who once rode through the capital was now unrecognizable, bearing no resemblance to his former self. He stared at Huo Lang, laughing until his body trembled, but it seemed more like weeping. His eyes were red as if bleeding:

"I was ordered to escort the provisions, but I encountered an ambush in the Dragon Break Gorge. All soldiers fell, and I barely escaped by leaping off a cliff. Do you know who sent those people?"

Drip...

A drop of melting snow fell straight from the eaves, landing soundlessly on the ground, yet it caused inexplicable unease.

Lu Yan's body shook violently as he woke up from his sleep for what felt like the umpteenth time, drenched in cold sweat. He stared at the dark canopy above him, gradually realizing he was in his bedroom. His tumultuous emotions slowly calmed, like receding tides leaving no trace.

Lu Yan had dreamed again of that bloody case from years ago.

He threw off the covers and rose, closing his eyes and wiping his face. The mute servant responsible for night watch heard the movement and brought over a cup of tea. Lu Yan took a sip and asked, "Where is Wu Mei?"

The mute servant gestured: "In the secret chamber, discussing matters with His Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan paused, a faint glint flashing across his eyes: "How long have they been in there?"

The mute servant replied, "About half the time it takes to brew a pot of tea."

Lu Yan gently waved her away, then got up, draped an outer robe over himself, and walked to the partition. It was unclear what he did to the wall, but suddenly, the entire antique shelf slowly shifted, revealing the entrance to a hidden passage. The night pearls embedded on either side emitted a pale green light, making the end of the tunnel appear even darker and more ominous.

Lu Yan took a lamp and entered, navigating the winding path until he stopped before a stone wall. There was an inconspicuous small hole in it. He held his breath, stepped lightly, and could faintly hear muffled voices inside.

"Your Majesty... three days from now, the Wei family will inevitably pass through the Qilin Pass... The commander of the pass is an old minister left by the late emperor... At that time, send word to take action... It will be foolproof..."

This soft, aged voice clearly belonged to Wu Mei. As soon as he finished speaking, another male voice sounded, undoubtedly Zhao Kang. Lu Yan realized for the first time how forceful and vehement the man could be, as if the Wei family had wronged him deeply:

"Well done! Once Wei Tan dies, the Wei family will have no male heir to inherit the title. I can then smoothly reclaim military power. With Xiling's assistance, I can certainly eliminate Huo Lang, this thorn in my side!"

This underground palace was complex, with numerous narrow air ducts left for ventilation. One of them ran close to the imperial bedroom, allowing one to hear conversations from within. Lu Yan had accidentally discovered this secret.

Lu Yan knew that Zhao Kang wanted to eliminate the Wei family, and it wasn't surprising that he would secretly set an ambush during their return to their fief. But what did "Xiling's assistance" mean? Could it be that Zhao Kang had secretly colluded with Xiling?

Lu Yan shielded the flickering candle flame with his hand. The gentle contours of his face revealed a hint of gloom in the interplay of light and shadow. This was something he hadn't noticed in his previous life, but now, upon reflection, he sensed that there had been signs all along.

No wonder Xiling had launched an attack without provocation. No wonder Zhao Kang insisted on appointing Prince Jingyang to oversee the provisions. No wonder the Duke of Zhen Guo, a master strategist, died on the battlefield, with his sons either dead or injured. An insider had betrayed Beishu.

For the first time, Lu Yan realized that this sickly emperor was far more calculating than he had imagined. To regain power, Zhao Kang was willing to sacrifice the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers in his schemes. What conditions had he offered to make Xiling so eager to assist?

Gold and silver? Cities? Iron smelting techniques or salt production methods?

Xiling was a nomadic nation, primarily raising cattle. The grasslands lacked iron tools and salt, which they could only obtain annually by trading countless livestock with Beishu. If Zhao Kang really used these resources to secure Xiling's military support, it might temporarily alleviate his troubles, but it would leave Beishu with endless future calamities.

Lu Yan didn’t listen any further, leaving the secret passage with his lamp. His top priority now was to save the Wei family.

Zhao Kang indeed had several old ministers left by the late emperor, deeply hidden and rarely appearing in court. General Huyan Jia was one of them, having guarded the Qilin Pass for several years, establishing deep roots. If he made a move to intercept, the women and children of the Wei family would likely face a grim fate.

The following morning, in the imperial court.

There were never any secrets in the capital. By morning, news of the emperor's assassination attempt had spread throughout the city. That was fine, but the regent forcefully taking away the assassins for investigation inevitably invited criticism. Those fearless imperial censors were the first to jump out, piling up a thick stack of impeachment memorials against Huo Lang in the upper right corner.

"Your Majesty, since ancient times, the distinction between monarch and minister has been clear, with respect and hierarchy determined by heaven. Yet the regent repeatedly violates Your Majesty's dignity, maintaining a private army, assaulting court officials, and controlling military power without relinquishing it. Altogether, he has committed seventy-two major and minor crimes. If allowed to continue, it will inevitably lead to disaster! I've heard that yesterday, Your Majesty went to the Duke of Zhen Guo's residence to pay respects, and on your way back to the palace, you were attacked. The regent snatched the assassins away in broad daylight. There must be something fishy about this. Please, Your Majesty, severely punish Huo Lang, strip him of his military authority, and order a detailed investigation by the competent authorities!"

Jianyi Doctor Huang Shian served as the scapegoat. These literati held low ranks and meager salaries, but their tempers were stubbornly hard, and their courage was boundless. Their heads were filled with Confucian classics, rigid and inflexible.

If the emperor listened to Huang Shian today, he would be hailed as a capable official ridding the people of harm. If the emperor ignored him and had him beheaded, he would still gain posthumous fame.

In short, it was a win-win situation!

Seated high on the dragon throne, Lu Yan's crown hung low, concealing his eyes, making it difficult to discern his mood. However, his voice was calm and peaceful, showing no sign of anger: "Why do you say such things, my dear minister? Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to be saved by the regent when I was attacked on the street. Otherwise, I would have been decapitated long ago. You two are both pillars of Beishu. You should work together wholeheartedly for the prosperity of the country, not engage in mutual suspicion here. Let us not discuss this matter further. Step down."

He made it clear that he did not want to deal with Huo Lang. A wise person should have taken the hint and retreated gracefully. But this Huang Shian was a stubborn donkey, standing below the hall and stating emphatically:

"Your Majesty! Even if the regent has the merit of saving the throne, he should not have snatched the assassins away in broad daylight. If he is truly loyal, why not hand over the assassins for interrogation by the Ministry of Punishment? This would dispel any suspicions of covering up!"

Whoosh—

Huang Shian's accusations had already shocked everyone, and now this stirred up even greater waves. What did he mean by "covering up"? Wasn't this an outright accusation that the assassins were sent by the regent, hence the intentional removal to cover up?

Huo Lang had many supporters in court, and immediately, ministers jumped out to refute the claims. Both sides argued until their faces turned red and their necks bulged, spittle flying everywhere, almost coming to blows.

"What do you mean by 'covering up'?!" one shouted. "You dare to slander the regent for attempted assassination? This general will silence your mouth first!"

"The regent is loyal and dedicated to the country. How dare you, this pedantic scholar, slander him behind his back? I see that all those years of reading have gone to the stomach of a dog!"

"Beishu law stipulates that a prince's personal guard cannot exceed three hundred. Yet the regent's armed soldiers number in the thousands. Isn't this treason?"

"He feigned illness deliberately, avoiding court for a long time, clearly not respecting the emperor. Each of these offenses warrants death!"

Seeing that the two groups were about to come to blows, a black-clad figure suddenly appeared outside the hall. Huo Lang, with his hair tied in a jade crown and a ceremonial sword at his waist, entered the hall under everyone's gaze. Although he said nothing, his icy gaze swept over the ministers, causing them to fall silent as if their throats had been clamped shut.

"Did I not know that the court session has turned into a noisy marketplace? Some of you claim to be well-read scholars, yet you're noisier than chickens and ducks in a cage. Hmm?"

As Huo Lang spoke these words, he happened to reach Huang Shian. He slowly caressed the ceremonial sword at his waist, looking at the other man with a detached and casual gaze, as if observing a powerless ant: "What grievance does Minister Huang have with this king?"

Huang Shian flushed with anger, pointing at Huo Lang and cursing: "Regent, you came just in time. Hand over those assassins quickly. The attack on the imperial carriage is no trivial matter. Are you trying to cover it up by hiding and seizing the assassins?!"

At the words, Huo Lang's lips curled slightly, his smile inexplicable. "How could it be? This prince merely wanted to subject him to severe torture to find out who had the audacity to instruct an assassin to attempt murder."

Huang Shian pressed on aggressively, "And did you find out?!"

"Of course I did."

Without warning, Huo Lang grabbed Huang Shian's wrist after he spoke, twisting it viciously. The sound of bones cracking filled the air as he snapped the tendons in Huang Shian's arm. Huang Shian fell to his knees in agony, wailing and sobbing uncontrollably, unable to even speak.

The court was stunned!

Huo Lang stared at Huang Shian with interest, a mocking laugh suddenly escaping his chest. "What, can't handle it already? I thought you were capable, but it turns out you're just as brittle. Where's that confident spirit you displayed in the hall?"

Huang Shian shivered in pain, cold sweat drenching his official robes, making him look like he'd been pulled from water. He gritted his teeth and glared fiercely at Huo Lang, struggling to utter a single sentence: "Scheming minister... villain!"

"Snap—!"

Another scream echoed through the hall. Huang Shian felt his arm twisted into a pretzel, his fingers contorted and dislocated. It would have been more merciful if they had just killed him outright. Those who witnessed this scene were chilled to the bone, taking two steps back in fear.

The atmosphere in the hall was tense and oppressive, suffocating those present.

Huo Lang turned his gaze to the emperor on the high throne, his eyes darkening. His aura was defiant and domineering as he slowly asked word by word, "Does Your Majesty believe that this humble servant has rebellious intentions?"

Lu Yan looked at Huo Lang through his ceremonial hat, his voice neither loud nor soft, yet clear and warm like white jade submerged in water. "Certainly not."

Huo Lang sneered, dragging Huang Shian to the front. He lifted his chin, revealing his rebellious nature. "Then what does Your Majesty think should be done with this man?"

He was relentless!