Chapter 93: Assassination of Duke of Liu.

**Chapter 93: The Shooting of Duke Liu**

After capturing Zhou Jiamu, Huo Shiming immediately isolated him completely from the outside world.

He then summoned all high-ranking and mid-ranking officials in Xingtangguan fortress and announced the contents of the posthumous edict.

With the imperial document in hand, Huo Shiming invoked Huo Ling’s authority, declaring that Her Majesty the Empress Dowager had commanded him and Zhou Jiamu to lead the Swallow Feather Army to the capital without delay.

Zhou Jiamu’s loyal officers had already been detained. Of the officials gathered, some were close allies of Huo Shiming while others remained neutral. Though they felt a degree of doubt, the authenticity of the imperial edict and the Empress Dowager’s decree left them no choice but to obey.

Once he had secured their cooperation, Huo Shiming left his most trusted aide, Sun Yucheng, behind to oversee affairs at Xingtangguan in his absence.

With everything arranged, Huo Shiming led the Swallow Feather Army swiftly toward the capital.

A steady drizzle turned the roads to mud, but under Huo Shiming’s relentless urging, they arrived by the deadline at a small hill thirty *li* (about fifteen kilometers) from the capital.

Upon reaching their destination, someone needed to be sent into the palace to notify Huo Ling.

As commander-in-chief, Huo Shiming had to remain with the army to maintain order. But he couldn’t send just any official unfamiliar to Huo Ling—so the task fell to Huo Ze, Huo Ling’s younger brother.

The siblings hadn’t seen each other in two years. Huo Ze, who had once been just a bit taller than Huo Ling, now stood half a head above her.

After greeting her formally, Huo Ze got straight to business.

“General Huo commanded me to inform Your Majesty that General Zhou and his subordinate officers are currently being held under heavy guard within the Swallow Feather Army.”

“When General Huo apprehended General Zhou, he found Prince Duan’s seal of office on him. There was also ash from burned documents in the brazier inside his tent.”

“Unfortunately, he arrived too late to recover the letter or force its contents out of Zhou Jiamu.”

Huo Ling secretly felt relieved.

Had she reacted even slightly slower, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

“Was the seal brought here?”

Huo Ze retrieved a tightly wrapped box from his sleeve and presented it to Huo Ling.

“Well done.”

Huo Ling accepted the box, nodding approvingly. “It seems your two years of study weren’t wasted. Your poise and manners have improved greatly—you even remembered to use proper titles when reporting.”

Huo Ze couldn’t take compliments well. With his official duties completed, he blurted out excitedly, “Big Sis, I missed you so much!”

Huo Ling’s expression softened. “I didn’t expect you to come with Dad.”

Huo Ze patted his chest proudly. “Pure luck—I happened to return home from school the day the Swallow Feather Army set out.”

“All along the way, Father and I worried that any delay might put you and An Er in danger back in the capital.”

Huo Ling felt a warmth in her heart.

She had expected the Swallow Feather Army to arrive at the outskirts by evening, with word reaching her no earlier than late at night. Yet here was Huo Ze, standing before her in the afternoon.

Clearly, the army had marched nonstop.

“We’ll catch up later. You’re soaked through—go change first. Let Wu Mo show you.”

Huo Ze was about to nod in agreement when he suddenly remembered something: "But Father is still waiting for me to deliver his reply."

Huo Ling said, "You’ve been on the road for days. Let Wu Feng report back on your behalf. Stay in the palace and rest well."

"I don’t want anyone to know the Swallow Feather Army has arrived in the capital, so for the next few days, keep a low profile. Once you’ve rested, go and look after An Er with Wu Mo."

The palace would see much turmoil in the coming days. As An Er’s maternal uncle, Huo Ze’s presence would be a comfort to the child.

Now at ease, Huo Ze followed Wu Mo out.

As the vermilion palace doors slowly closed behind him, Huo Ze glanced back a few times and asked with concern, "Wu Mo-jie, has Elder Sister been well these days? She looked very exhausted."

...

Huo Ling peeled away the oilcloth covering the box, took out the seal inside, and examined it carefully.

This was indeed Prince Duan’s official seal.

She inclined her head slightly and instructed Cui Hongyi beside her, "Send for Zhan Ling, Wen Shengan, Lu Hang, Chen Haoyan, and Prince Cheng of the Second Rank. I have important matters to discuss with them."

It was time for them to see the evidence of the crime.

***

Securing allegiance was neither simple nor difficult.

For most in this world, power and wealth were the best ways to sway them.

Prince Duan’s residence and House of Liu lacked neither.

Especially House of Liu, which held a monopoly on Great Yan’s horse trade and ran numerous businesses, accumulating vast fortunes over generations.

Expecting the Duke of Liu to flip court officials in a short time was wishful thinking, but organizing a considerable force of rebellion was no difficult task.

The greatest obstacle to breaching the palace and securing the Dowager and the Young Emperor was the imperial guards.

This was precisely what the Duke of Liu was waiting for.

He was lounging on his couch with his eyes closed when hurried footsteps sounded outside.

His grandson, Liu Cheng, strode in and whispered, "Grandfather, the Black Tortoise Guard from the Four Great Battalions is on duty in the palace tonight."

The Duke of Liu opened his eyes. "What did Chai Chengsi say?"

The imperial guards were further divided into the Four Great Battalions, and the Black Tortoise Guard was one of them.

Chai Chengsi was its current commander.

Liu Cheng replied, "Chai Chengsi said he would personally lead his trusted men to guard Yingtian Gate. At a quarter past midnight, he will coordinate with us from within and lead troops into the palace through Yingtian Gate."

The Duke of Liu let out a heavy breath.

For all his calm, it was hard to remain composed upon hearing this news.

"What about Chang’er and Yuan Kang? Have they been arranged to escape through the secret passage?"

Liu Cheng said, "Don’t worry, Grandfather. It’s all arranged."

Throughout history, palace coups were all-or-nothing gambles.

If they succeeded in capturing the Dowager and the Young Emperor, House of Liu would not only secure its legacy but ascend further.

But if they failed, these children who had been sent away would be the Liu family's last hope.

Hearing Liu Cheng's answer, the Duke of Liu felt slightly reassured. "And the heir—has he arrived?"

Before Liu Cheng could respond, a trusted aide hurried in to report that Ji Yuanwan had arrived.

Because it was unclear whether Huo Ling had spies near Prince Duan's residence, Ji Yuanwan had come in disguise before arriving at the Duke of Liu's mansion.

He wore plain, dusty clothes, and dirt covered his exposed skin to hide his fair, noble complexion.

The Duke of Liu looked at Ji Yuanwan, his eyes sharp with scrutiny. "Yuanyuan, tonight you will personally lead the troops into the palace. Are you afraid?"

Under the Duke's piercing gaze, Ji Yuanwan stiffened.

It was difficult for Ji Yuanwan to express his feelings clearly at this moment.

At seven years old, he had been personally selected by his imperial uncle, the Emperor, and taken into the palace to be raised there.

He was no longer free to visit his parents. Even when he occasionally met them within the palace, he had to keep his distance, showing neither excessive affection nor longing.

Although his imperial uncle was never particularly warm toward him, he had never been treated unkindly.

Not long after entering the palace, his uncle had arranged for him to study in the Tianzhang Pavilion.

Everyone told him this was a hall reserved for the crown prince's education.

Each teacher assigned to instruct him was a prominent official of the court.

Before he even understood the nature of imperial power, he had already been placed beneath its heavy burden.

But the good times did not last. After the overly young Empress arrived in the capital, everything began to change.

His parents turned against each other, and Ji Yuanwan’s position in the palace became increasingly unstable.

This uneasy situation continued until the birth of Ji Xianshan, his young cousin.

Facing this little cousin, Ji Yuanwan's emotions were complicated. Alongside envy and jealousy, there was also an odd sense of relief.

What was never truly his would never belong to him.

He had his own biological parents.

Now that his imperial uncle had his own son, he was expected to return to his parents and fulfill his filial duties.

When exactly had things started to change?

Perhaps it was after returning to the royal residence and unexpectedly finding his mother in tears;

Perhaps it was when members of his mother's family often spoke to him about court affairs;

Perhaps it was when he occasionally met his former tutors, whose glances carried subtle regret and pity;

Perhaps it was when his once-close companions began to keep their distance...

His young, innocent cousin was adored like the moon surrounded by stars, while he could only stand at the edge of the crowd and watch from afar.

Why couldn't he have been the Emperor's own son?

At that moment, this very thought rose in his chest.

Afterward, Ji Yuanwan couldn't help but feel ashamed of such thoughts.

His father and mother had always treated him extremely well—how could he think this way? Especially his mother, who had many disagreements with his father over his matters, and whose health had deteriorated significantly.

Ji Yuanwan didn’t want to sadden or disappoint his mother. He tried hard to be a dutiful son and worked hard at both scholarly studies and martial training. Yet when he performed well, his mother didn’t seem happy—instead, she looked even more distressed.

On the night Emperor Gaozong died, his mother persuaded his father to raise troops for rebellion.

While his father was in the study writing a letter to Zhou Jiamu, his mother approached him alone and spoke to him about the rebellion.

At that moment, he was stunned and confused, not knowing what to do.

His mother reassured him: "You and the Young Emperor are both Emperor Gaozong’s grandsons. In terms of age and ability, you are much better suited for that position than the Young Emperor."

"The imperial family has never truly valued brotherly affection. All those rules are false—only one rule is real: to the victor go the spoils."

Under his mother’s persuasion, he remained silent.

And silence meant agreement.

Winning over court officials was handled by Lord Liu’s household on his behalf, but leading the army into the palace was something he had to do personally.

Fortunately, Ji Yuanwan wasn’t going alone—Lord Liu would accompany him.

Night fell, veiling the sky in darkness. Ji Yuanwan put on his specially crafted armor, while Lord Liu, despite his illness, forced himself to wear his long-stored armor.

Outside, the rain grew heavier. In the silence, Liu Cheng reminded, "It's time."

Lord Liu’s residence was located in the inner city, not far from the palace.

In recent days, the capital had been under heavy security, with noticeably more patrols by the imperial guards. However, under the arrangements of the commander of the Black Tortoise Guard, Chai Chengsi, Lord Liu and his party encountered no patrols along the way.

The downpour intensified, its drumming drowning out both the synchronized footsteps and the dull clatter of armor.

Between heaven and earth, there was only oppressive blackness and ghostly white.

At the appointed time, Ji Yuanwan and Lord Liu arrived at Yingtian Gate without incident.

After exchanging passwords, the tightly shut palace gates slowly creaked open, looking in the darkness like the gaping maw of some monstrous beast.

"Young Master, My Lord,"

Chai Chengsi came quickly down with a squad of personal guards to greet them.

Once the two groups merged, Chai Chengsi left some trusted men to guard Yingtian Gate while he led the rest to join Lord Liu’s forces.

The now-larger group advanced relentlessly, heading straight for the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The rain was especially heavy that night. Except for palace servants and eunuchs on duty, everyone else had turned in early after their duties and did not move about the palace courtyards unnecessarily.

With Chai Chengsi leading the way, they also managed to evade several patrols.

It wasn’t until their group drew near the Hall of Supreme Harmony that someone finally spotted them and raised the alarm.

Being discovered was inevitable. Upon hearing the whistle, Lord Liu and his men gave up concealment and quickened their pace.

Just as the path ahead began to brighten and the soaring eaves of the Hall of Supreme Harmony became faintly visible, a deep, resonant bell tolled from within the hall, its sound rolling outward in waves.

The bell's toll acted like a signal.

The moment it rang, a loud voice from ahead bellowed: "Halt!"

A hail of arrows shot forth from all directions, accompanying that sharp command.

"Ambush! Take cover!"

Chai Chengsi drew his sword and positioned himself protectively before Ji Yuanwan and the Duke of Liu.

Ji Yuanwan’s expression was tense, his lips thinned into a grim line. His right hand rested on his sword hilt; his already racing heart now hammered wildly.

The surrounding guards swiftly raised their shields, forming a tight protective circle around Ji Yuanwan and the others.

Confronted with this sudden development, the Duke of Liu showed no sign of alarm. He narrowed his eyes, gazing toward the Hall of Supreme Harmony looming before them.

From within, the tightly shut palace doors were pushed open, and golden candlelight flooded out as a phalanx of fully armored Imperial Guards emerged, torches in hand.

Huo Ling, still clad in mourning attire, emerged with measured steps, accompanied by Zhan Ling, Commander of the Imperial Guard.

Soon, a flash of surprise crossed the Duke of Liu’s face.

Because behind Huo Ling and Zhan Ling, four more figures stepped out from the hall—Wen Shengan, Lu Hang, Chen Haoyan, and Prince Cheng.

Among them, the Duke of Liu was only slightly unfamiliar with Prince Cheng. The others—Wen Shengan and the rest—he had served alongside in court for decades. Even at a distance, he recognized them easily.

Normally, after concluding their daily mourning rites, they should have left the palace before the gates were locked.

Yet here they were, in the dead of night, standing inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

This was no coincidence—it was clear Empress Dowager Huo had deliberately kept them here.

If she had done this, it meant she had long anticipated his armed march into the palace.

At this realization, the Duke of Liu’s previously composed expression darkened, his heart plunging like a stone.

Zhan Ling snarled, “Chai Chengsi, Duke of Liu—the late emperor favored you greatly. Who would have thought you’d repay his kindness with such treachery?”

Chai Chengsi gave a mirthless chuckle but offered no reply.

Ji Yuanwan instinctively turned to the Duke of Liu. “Great-grandfather, what do we do now?”

Though he was the nominal leader of this rebellion, faced with such overwhelming encirclement, Ji Yuanwan—despite all his mental preparation—was still just a boy of fifteen or sixteen, far from calm.

The Duke of Liu closed his eyes briefly, suppressing the raging storm in his chest, then answered hoarsely, “We fight or die now.”

Even if the Empress Dowager had prepared for this, he would rather die fighting than surrender.

He signaled to Chai Chengsi, and the fragile truce shattered instantly. Except for a few who remained to guard Ji Yuanwan and the Duke, the rest surged outward like breaking floodwaters.

“Archers!” Zhan Ling immediately commanded.

Those who followed the Duke of Liu knew full well they were committing treason. Yet in the face of death-whispering arrows, they showed no fear, advancing relentlessly through the steel rain with shields raised.

Under such fearless assault, the distance between both sides quickly vanished.

At sword’s length, the archers abandoned their bows and drew blades, clashing steel with the rebels.

“How long until reinforcements arrive?” Huo Ling murmured to Zhan Ling under her breath.

Because uncertain whether there were any of Prince Duan's or Duke Liu's men within the imperial guards, when setting this trap, Zhan Ling had only called upon a group of completely loyal troops to lie in ambush around Taihe Hall.

The force was substantial and held the advantage of surprise, making it difficult for the rebels to gain the upper hand. Yet despite the rebels' fearless charges, they managed to hold their ground.

Zhan Ling said, "By my count, we still have about a quarter of an hour."

Huo Ling's brow furrowed slightly.

She could see that Duke Liu was fighting a desperate last stand, so she wasn't worried about failure. But if they waited for reinforcements, many would likely be killed or wounded.

"Get me a bow and arrows."

Before Zhan Ling could react, Zheng Xinjue, heir to the Duke of Jingguo, had already stepped forward and offered up his own bow and arrows.

Huo Ling took them, fixing her eyes on Ji Yuanwan and Duke Liu, who were heavily guarded.

Zheng Xinjue saluted with clasped hands. "My Lady, please allow this humble servant to lead a squad to draw Duke Liu's and Heir Ji's attention."

However skilled Huo Ling might be with a bow, hitting either Duke Liu or Ji Yuanwan through their tight defenses would be nearly impossible.

Someone needed to draw their fire, disrupt their formation, and create an opening for her.

Huo Ling glanced at Zheng Xinjue and gave a slight nod. "Watch your back—be careful out there."

With her approval, Zheng Xinjue immediately gathered a small team.

Huo Ling notched an arrow, silently watching Ji Yuanwan and Duke Liu from dozens of meters away.

Zheng Xinjue moved with clear purpose and speed. His men did not engage the rebels but pushed relentlessly toward Ji Yuanwan and Duke Liu.

Under this sudden assault, the defense surrounding them began to break apart, no longer as tightly organized as before.

A bolt of lightning split the sky open, streaking down from the heavens and illuminating the dim palace in stark clarity.

At that exact moment, Ji Yuanwan caught sight of a glint of steel.

Fast as lightning, the gleam grew larger and struck in an instant—just as the flash lit the sky, before the thunder could sound—piercing straight through Duke Liu’s neck.

In the next heartbeat, the blinding white light in Ji Yuanwan’s eyes turned into a spray of crimson.

Amid the crashing thunder, he cried out in shock, “Great-grandfather!”