Chapter 161

Chapter 161

Late at night, Shayan Pass stood on high alert. The moment the war horn sounded, the Northern Barbarian army invaded once more. Nearly all soldiers at Shayan Pass were instantly on alert. Qi Hanzhou spotted the sudden blaze of firelight in the distance, and a scout rushed forward to report that tens of thousands of Northern Barbarian troops had come back in full force.

"Light the beacon towers!" Qi Hanzhou ordered immediately.

The timing of this surprise attack was perfect—the grain route at Shayan Pass had just been completed, and the Northern Barbarians were advancing from the southeast, clearly planned and waiting for the right moment. They were after the supply line. Qi Hanzhou narrowed his eyes as the Third Prince arrived from the city defenses. This enemy assault had even more troops than before.

"Where are they getting so many troops?!" the Third Prince exclaimed in astonishment.

"They've been holding troops back, and this time they're throwing everything they've got at us." Qi Hanzhou's gaze turned icy. "Their time has come."

The beacon towers could get word to Youzhou and the rest of the northern frontier fastest, but Qi Hanzhou had a feeling the Qi Family Camp might not be able to send help. Based on what happened before, Shayan was already being watched closely by the Qi Family Camp, and under such circumstances, the Northern Barbarians bold enough to invade with this many troops, unafraid of being encircled by the Qi Family Army, could only mean one thing.

This wasn't the only place they were fighting!

"We've got plenty of grain and supplies this time—we can outlast them," an old general said.

The Third Prince frowned. The timing of this attack was way too suspicious. They knew damn well Shayan Pass had the Western Shu Defense Force backing it now and was well-stocked with grain and arms. "The Northern Barbarians seized the court's grain shipments earlier, so they're well-supplied now and can afford to fight us for the long haul. But they should also know about our completed grain route—why would they still pick a fight with us now?"

The Third Prince issued a solemn command: "Send word to all the camps—set up defenses based on the terrain here, put the archers and crossbowmen up front, and stock up on fire oil. We're not retreating a single step!" He glanced at Qi Hanzhou, who still hadn't said a word. The beacon fires were already burning in the distance, and the enemy's hoofbeats thundered like an earthquake.

Qi Hanzhou closed his eyes and listened. The hoofbeats from the south were slow and heavy, sounding like heavy cavalry. Meanwhile, the hoofbeats from the east were lighter and faster. He immediately knew something was off—the enemy's two flanks were split unevenly—a classic feint.

He turned and headed back into the command tent. The officers saw his grim face and hurried after him. Qi Hanzhou pointed to a spot on the map thirty li northeast of Shayan Pass—a dangerous cliff gorge in the north, which also happened to be the Qi Family Army's internal supply route.

"This is the camp road... they're not—!" the old general realized with a start.

The Qi Family camp road was the fastest cavalry route between all their cities.

All grain, supplies, and coordination between cities went through this road. With it, the Qi Family Army in the eastern north could reach Mobei and Shayan in four days, and anywhere in the central north within three. It was the Qi family's lifeline in the north—Dayuan's real wall.

"It's a feint." Qi Hanzhou understood now. The split flanks made it look like they were going after the grain routes of Western Shu and Shayan, but really, their light cavalry was using the chaos of battle as cover, slipping past Shayan's scouts and pushing east. There was only one possibility: "They're not trying to invade Western Shu through Mobei—they're trying to cut off the Qi Family camps from each other!"

To cripple the Qi family, they'd have to destroy the camp road.

Qi Hanzhou's eyes darkened. Just then, an urgent report came in.

Ye Xuanjiu walked in carrying a falcon. "Junior General, it's the Prince's falcon!"

Qi Hanzhou spun around.

Meanwhile, at the Qi Family Camp in the northern frontier, beacon towers all along the eastern border lit up at once. All the generals gathered at the main camp. In a single night, the Northern Barbarians had launched attacks on three Dayuan cities at once. In all their years of facing the Northern Barbarians, this was the first time the Qi Family Camp had seen them commit their entire force to battle.

Qi Shen furrowed his brow upon receiving the news: "Are His Majesty's military supplies on the way?"

A general reported: "Yes! The Lu Family Army is coming from the east—they'll arrive in another day."

"Dispatch an elite unit to escort them. The supplies must reach the camp." Qi Shen's gaze sharpened, but before he could finish, he noticed the hesitant look on the general beside him. "Speak," he said.

"General, our grain may not be enough."

The grain shipment meant to resupply the northern frontier should have arrived over a month ago, but when the northern grain route was compromised, the capital intercepted the transport and rerouted it through the southern route instead. This slowed the delivery time considerably. By their estimates, the grain escorted from the south would take at least five more days to arrive. But with the Northern Barbarian invasion now forcing all forces to the front lines, there were no troops to spare for protecting the grain routes, and the supply lines between cities would inevitably be constrained.

Qi Shen's gaze froze. The cities under Northern Barbarian pressure happened to be precisely the key points along the Qi Family Camp's grain transport routes—the camp roads themselves.

The Northern Barbarians knew the grain meant to support the northern frontier had not yet arrived, so they dared to strike now, aiming to choke the Qi family's throat.

The grain supplies of several northern cities depended on mutual rotation through these routes, with the Qi Family Camp's military farms providing constant support. If the enemy besieged the cities and cut off grain transport, then in this war of attrition, Dayuan was doomed to lose.

"What about the court?" Qi Shen suddenly asked.

A trusted general replied: "Our messengers sent to the capital lost contact seven days ago."

There would be no reinforcements from the rear.

...

In the capital, news of the Emperor's illness weighed heavily over the court. While various factions maneuvered in the shadows and heavily armed guards protected the Qianqing Palace, a silent undercurrent surged through the political landscape. At a key military post in the capital's outskirts, an official from the Ministry of War hurried in with orders: "Are the military supplies for the northern frontier ready?"

"Lord Hu and Lord Shen have both been at the Eastern Palace these past two days. They specifically sent us to inform you that this shipment is of paramount importance to the northern frontier. His Highness the Crown Prince has ordered that it be escorted under heavy guard to the Ministry of War relay station, where the Chen Family Army from Jiangnan will take over."

The Imperial Guard Commander took the orders and examined the secret directive, frowning: "This many elite troops for an escort?"

Normally, the Ministry of Works provided craftsmen and the Ministry of War dispatched soldiers for supply transports, but this order called for ten thousand elite troops to escort the shipment beyond the capital.

"The grain route incident caused quite a stir at court—we absolutely cannot afford another mishap!" The Ministry of War official's eyes darted shiftily before he continued: "The court has already used this matter to move against the Ministry of War and Works. At such a critical juncture, the transport absolutely must not fail! It's nothing major—escort it beyond the capital, and you can return within half a day. His Highness's intention is to move quickly and return swiftly."

The garrison commander's gaze lingered on the Ministry of War official for a moment before he said: "Understood."

He turned and left, failing to notice the sharp glint that flashed through the official's eyes the moment he departed.

After leaving the garrison post, the Ministry of War official sent word to a contact, who quickly vanished into the countryside.

When he reappeared, a disguised figure knocked on the back door of Prince Yongjia's residence. Once inside, he handed a secret letter to the steward: "Everything is arranged at the capital's outskirts. In three days, when the military supplies are transported, the Imperial Guard Commander will leave the city."

With the northern frontier in crisis, the more the Eastern Palace valued military supplies and the authority of the Ministry of War and Works, the more leverage became available on the surface.

The steward dismissed the man and soon entered the inner courtyard of the manor. Prince Yongjia was resting leisurely in the garden. When he saw the steward deliver the secret letter, he knew everything had been settled.

Years ago, his dear elder brother had seized the throne through military coup. Had it not been for that, he—as the late Emperor's most beloved child—would have wielded immense power in the capital. Over the years, the Emperor's wariness toward him had never wavered. When their father had enfeoffed so many of his sons with territories, he alone had been confined to the capital, forced to swallow his disgust and play the role of a devoted younger brother, feigning brotherly affection.

The Yun family was supposed to be a piece on his chessboard, but then the Secret Faction had butted in, and a Second Prince had emerged from nowhere, attempting to shake the foundations. He knew that man—along with his brother the Prince of Qin—had been making considerable moves in Western Shu. There was no way they didn't covet the throne. That supreme position—he had wanted it back then, and he wanted it even more now.

But the time wasn't right. The Deposed Crown Prince, the First Prince, the Second Prince...

His brother's sons had been disposed of one after another, and the rest were mediocre and useless. Now only one remained.

A frail, sickly body was a good thing. His dear nephew held the position of Crown Prince, but that body was a weakness to be exploited. He could have stayed in Western Shu, but since he'd willingly walked into the trap, he couldn't blame anyone for his fate.

If the Emperor could fall ill, then having the Eastern Palace lose another occupant would be no great matter.

"In three days, have the others pull back. The northern frontier is vital territory—the Qi family's defense of the border is of utmost importance." The Secret Faction wanted to use him to break through the north, but he was equally using them to achieve his own ends.

Prince Yongjia ordered: "The matter in the capital will be settled within these few days."

Outside Prince Yongjia's residence, in a tavern, a woman sat with her features disguised.

Before long, the man who had just spoken with the manor's steward walked in. The woman glanced at him and spoke: "You're here?"

Her appearance had been completely altered, but her eyes remained unchanged.

The moment she spoke, the Secret Faction operative recognized her: "Your Ladyship! Why have you come in person?"

The woman was none other than Concubine Xian, who was supposed to be in the northern frontier.

The Secret Faction's operations in the capital were difficult to advance, and someone needed to take charge. She was the one most familiar with the capital.

The Secret Faction reported on the goings-on at Prince Yongjia's estate. Concubine Xian stared coldly toward Prince Yongjia's mansion. The crown prince of the Eastern Palace had them so thoroughly suppressed in the capital that their faction could barely make a move. Only when Prince Yongjia made his move would they get their chance.

Concubine Xian set down her teacup: "The mantis catches the cicada, but the oriole is right behind."

"Prince Yongjia thinks he can just waltz onto the throne—it's not that simple."

The capital has to descend into chaos before the Qi family can be completely isolated.

...

The political winds in the court picked up, with immense pressure piling onto the Eastern Palace. Yet the crown prince kept up his investigations and purges without slowing down.

Several senior ministers' decision to skip court sessions caused a stir, but Ying Fusheng went about his business as usual.

When Weng Yanqing came to see the crown prince, the prince had just left Cining Palace. The Grand Empress Dowager had been strong in her youth, and after Chen Xuqiu had looked after her, her health hadn't really declined. Still, she was getting on in years. The Imperial Medical Academy had physicians posted at Cining Palace. When Ying Fusheng went to see her, he noticed Xiaoqing, who was always at her side, struggling to walk. He knew then that the Grand Empress Dowager was getting old.

Xiao Yan's repeated moves made it clear the Xiao family was gradually throwing its weight behind the Eastern Palace. The Grand Empress Dowager's silent approval and Xiao Yan's actions both sent a clear message.

"Don't disturb her—she doesn't sleep much and rarely gets a good night's rest," Ying Fusheng said softly.

Weng Yanqing's expression flickered; he understood what His Highness was getting at.

Ying Fusheng didn't say anything else and headed toward Qianqing Palace. When he arrived, the Jinyiwei guards outside the hall gave a slight nod and stepped aside to clear the way to the bedchamber.

The hall smelled of medicine; the emperor was still unconscious. Ever since he'd suddenly collapsed, only trusted eunuchs had been attending him. Eunuch Rong had been serving him with two trusted aides for a while now.

Ying Fusheng stopped at the sickbed, his expression darkening at the sight of the emperor's closed eyes. "How has Father been doing these past few days?"

Beside the bed, one of the eunuchs behind Eunuch Rong suddenly looked up.

At the heavily guarded capital garrison, patrol guards were about to head back when they looked up and saw flames suddenly rising in the distant hills. The next moment, soldiers who'd been lying in wait around the capital emerged—dressed like bandits, but moving with deadly precision as they charged straight into the garrison camp.

"Someone—" Before the watchtower guard could finish his shout or ring the bell, he dropped, his voice dying mid-cry.

Silence settled over the palace grounds. North of the palace city, the gates that should've been locked swung open. The guards at the gate never saw it coming—their own comrades slit their throats. Blood sprayed across the ground as figures in guard uniforms slipped into the night without a sound.

-*

In an instant, trained operatives were lurking all over the palace. Patrol guards raised the alarm, but through the breached gates, an unknown force poured in and flooded the palace city.

A eunuch passing by with a lantern at night barely had time to react before he saw the invasion. His lantern clattered to the ground, and he went silent in an instant.

"Who's there?!"

"Intruders!"

"Guard the Emperor!!" Shouts erupted outside the hall.

Ji Wuming, posted outside Qianqing Palace, heard the commotion. The shadow guards around him moved at once. He tensed: "What the hell is going on?!"

"Someone—there's—"

Arrows thudded into the palace walls as flames flared up.

Inside Qianqing Palace, before Ying Fusheng's question could be answered, the heavy doors slammed shut.

The sudden slam sent a gust of wind through the chamber, snuffing out the calming incense in an instant. Ying Fusheng stood still as the clash of blades rang out from beyond the doors—steel on steel, blood splattering against the paper windows.

Before Ying Fusheng could move toward the door, the sounds abruptly stopped.

Then the doors swung open again with a heavy thud. Ji Wuming and the other Jinyiwei fell back inside, forming a protective ring around Ying Fusheng.

"Your Highness, we've got trouble—the palace gates have fallen!"

Ji Wuming barely got the words out before voices sounded from beyond the doors.

A palace maid's scream had barely risen when a figure strode into the bedchamber. Prince Yongjia walked in wearing his court robes, his ornate ornaments clinking. He paused at the threshold, his gaze landing darkly on the emperor. With a single swing of his blade, the nearest eunuch collapsed, blood spraying—some of it landing on Ying Fusheng's face.

Ying Fusheng turned to see Prince Yongjia approaching through the doorway.

Behind Prince Yongjia followed a group of "imperial guards." Screams rose and fell across the palace grounds as the guards crowded in around him. The Jinyiwei were forced back into the hall. Everyone stared at the menacing guards before them as the alarm bells for the palace attack rang out—Qianqing Palace was now completely surrounded.

"Uncle," Ying Fusheng said, turning to face him. "What is the meaning of this?"

Eunuch Rong and the other eunuchs knelt trembling by the sickbed. Another eunuch lay fallen, blood pooling across the floor.

Within the dragon canopy, the emperor remained utterly silent. The commotion outside drew no reaction from him. Seeing this, Prince Yongjia smiled slightly: "It seems my royal brother is truly gravely ill."

Ying Fusheng was shielded behind the Jinyiwei, blocking the dragon canopy behind him. "Bringing troops into the palace—Uncle, are you attempting rebellion?"

"How could this be called rebellion? My brother is incapable of handling state affairs, so I am simply taking matters into my own hands." Prince Yongjia's gaze sharpened as he swept his eyes across the room. He saw the Jinyiwei guards standing before the dragon canopy while Ying Fusheng kept glancing outward. "Waiting for your Eastern Palace guards? Unfortunately, they've received word of an attack on the Eastern Palace—they'll be gathering there now."

Ying Fusheng wiped the blood from his cheek as the Jinyiwei pressed closer, wary of arrows from afar.

They looked at the crown prince, who faced the arrows outside with remarkable composure.

"The military funds embezzled in the Ministry of Revenue's accounts, the substituted stone materials—the Yun family wouldn't dare commit such corruption." Ying Fusheng looked at the "guards" behind him. "Among all the powerful clans who only crave power, there is only one person in the entire capital bold enough to embezzle military funds and raise private troops."

Prince Yongjia narrowed his eyes with a smile: "And then?"

Ying Fusheng showed no fear of the threat outside. "So you needed the grain route exposed, needed troops concentrated at the northern border—because only with the capital left vulnerable and Father incapacitated would you have your opportunity."

In just a few sentences, he laid bare the ambitions of the court factions.

"The grain route in the capital was exposed. The Ministry of War and Works was especially cautious, and the Ministry of Revenue was not involved—yet the route was still compromised." Ying Fusheng calmly regarded Prince Yongjia. "These past days, the Ministry of War has repeatedly investigated, and every military official checked out clean. That leaves only the palace itself."

All Ministry of War operations required reporting to the emperor, with confidential reports submitted directly to him.

Only someone close to the emperor could have accessed such critical intelligence.

Ying Fusheng's gaze swept over the kneeling figures before the dragon couch, finally settling on Eunuch Rong. "What do you say?"

Eunuch Rong's eyes trembled. "This old servant has been utterly loyal to His Majesty! I would never betray him!"

Without a word, Ying Fusheng drew the blade from the Jinyiwei guard beside him.

Eunuch Rong's face went pale—but the blade did not fall on him. Instead, it came to rest against the neck of his apprentice beside him. The apprentice's face shifted in terror, yet as the blade pressed against his throat, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes—his expression betraying no cowardice.

Ying Fusheng was watching him.

The man who had been at Eunuch Rong's side had been raised by him personally. This apprentice too—bullied as a child in the palace, later taken under Eunuch Rong's wing and becoming his right hand. Seeing the blade at his apprentice's throat, Eunuch Rong suddenly realized something. "He—he—"

Ying Fusheng stared at the cold-faced eunuch. "I have eyes throughout the palace. Your apprentice had no shortage of dealings with the Second Prince's people back then. Before he came to you, he served one month in Concubine Xian's palace."

"He's your man, and also a remnant of the former dynasty. You had him tamper with Father's medicine."

At this, Prince Yongjia raised an eyebrow slightly. "So what?"

Ying Fusheng's gaze swept past the man in front of him. The Former Dynasty Remnants had planted too many informants throughout the palace. After uprooting the hidden agents near the Empress Dowager and the Empress, Ying Fusheng naturally remained vigilant toward others within the palace walls. Eunuch Rong was one of them—someone close to the Emperor, and one who had stayed by his side until the very end in the previous life. He was the prime suspect of all, and so from that moment on, Song An had assigned people to keep an eye on him.

Yet Eunuch Rong's every move was flawless. He had served the Emperor since childhood, and now, with age, many tasks could no longer be handled personally. His apprentice, whom he'd adopted as a son, handled the palace's day-to-day affairs for him. This seemingly low-key position gave him way too much reach—enough to secretly connect with other planted agents.

But this man had stayed completely quiet, never making a move.

It wasn't until the Prince of Pingnan, right before he fell into his final coma, said there was still someone in the palace—someone close to the Emperor—without naming who, that they got the warning. That meant the person had only come to the Emperor's side in the last ten years or so, and he couldn't be certain of the identity, only able to tell them to stay alert.

Prince Yongjia's gaze darkened. Dealing with a tiger means you need a backup plan to come out on top. Even if this man belonged to the Secret Faction, if he could be turned to his side, he'd be a valuable piece on the board.

"Uncle, how do you think I figured out he was a hidden agent?" Ying Fusheng pressed the blade closer, yet the agent's face stayed perfectly calm.

"I have no interest in that." Prince Yongjia's eyes turned cold as he stepped forward with his blade, closing in on Ying Fusheng. "Don't you understand yet? Thanks to you rushing those military supplies out, this afternoon, the Imperial Guard Commander left the capital with those supplies bound for the northern border. Over ten thousand elite troops escorting them—really shows how much the Eastern Palace cares. Now, no matter how silver-tongued you are, tonight the palace is destined to have no reinforcements."

"The Emperor is gravely ill, the Secret Faction stages a coup, and the Prince Yongjia's household upholds legitimacy."

Prince Yongjia advanced a few more steps, closing in on Ying Fusheng. "Then tonight, the Crown Prince shall fall to an attack and be critically wounded!"

The blade suddenly shot out, straight at Ying Fusheng.

Then, out of nowhere, a weapon came flying from inside the dragon curtain, deflecting Prince Yongjia's sword.

The strike was so fierce that Prince Yongjia's face went pale in an instant. He stumbled back several paces, staring in disbelief at the curtain. "Impossible, the medical records clearly—"

Ying Fusheng stood calmly.

Behind him, a low voice emerged from within the dragon curtain. "You still haven't caught on? He's pushing you to make a move."

It was the Emperor's voice.