In the quiet side courtyard of the Royal Family, a guard was patrolling outside the window. He seemed to be blind and deaf, unable to hear or see anything. The Eldest Princess, an important target of the Royal Family's surveillance, was secretly plotting something with her trusted aide.
"He is too suspicious, so there is no need to plan anything. He will jump out and plan it himself." Li Yunrui slowly closed her eyes. "Furthermore, he is very arrogant, arrogant to the point that he can beat him at his own game. What nonsense! How could there be a plan? He's just playing by himself. "
She suddenly opened her eyes and said, "However, I am afraid that brother will be lonely, so I can only play with him. The assassination on Dong Mountain seems to have become an absurd matter on the surface. He knows I want to kill him and is waiting for me to kill him. I know he is waiting for me to kill him, but I still want to kill him. It is truly interesting."
Yuan Hongdao listened to this tongue twister and looked at the smile at the corners of the Eldest Princess' lips. He did not find it interesting. On the contrary, he felt a faint chill. She knew that Dong Mountain was a trap, yet the Eldest Princess had jumped in without a second thought. Did she really think that Ye Liuyun, a Great Grandmaster, could change the entire world?
Although he had become Li Yunrui's closest strategist after Huang Yi's death, he knew that although the Eldest Princess seemed to have been forced back step by step by the Emperor and Fan Xian these two years and had never been able to do anything, in terms of strategy, there was not much she needed him for.
Because of this, he had never figured out the details of the Eldest Princess' final plan. Naturally, he had no way to report it to the Director and the Emperor.
As a strategist, at such a critical moment, regardless of whether it was for disguise or to gain more trust, Yuan Hongdao had to say some suggestions. Thus, he gazed into the Eldest Princess' eyes and quietly said, "Interesting. At certain times, it is the combination of absurdity and stupidity. I don't know which side is more absurd and which side is more stupid. Since the first to move was the Emperor, then you should choose the other path. Otherwise, no matter how you move, your chess piece will always be one step slower than the person on the stone platform. "
The Eldest Princess Li Yunrui slowly closed her eyes. After a long silence, she said, "The other path? You're advising me not to move for now. "
"Yes."
The Eldest Princess suddenly opened her eyes and smiled. Her smile was extremely pure and innocent. "What's the use of not moving? If the worship to heaven on Dong Mountain successfully ends, there will come a time when mother will go. Do you expect me to be imprisoned in this courtyard forever? "
Yuan Hongdao was silent for a moment, then smiled. Since he could easily enter this courtyard, then the Eldest Princess must have many ways to easily leave this courtyard. He knew that the Eldest Princess was only thinking about the future of the Qing Kingdom. No matter how you looked at it, if the Emperor did not take advantage of this opportunity to leave the capital, what chance would the Eldest Princess have to stage a comeback?
"Fan Xian." Yuan Hongdao tried to persuade the Eldest Princess. Before he received further instructions from the Council, he wanted to delay the Eldest Princess's actions as much as possible. "This is your chance."
"Fan Xian?" The Eldest Princess became interested and smiled slightly. "Even if the Emperor wants to take away Fan Xian's power in the future, this will not be my opportunity."
"It is not as simple as taking away power," Yuan Hongdao lowered his voice and said. Yuan Hongdao lowered his voice and said, "Fan Xian's relationship with the North is too close. Once the Emperor has pacified the internal conflicts in the court, he will certainly point his blade at Northern Qi. What Fan Xian will do at this time is worth considering. Perhaps that will be your opportunity."
"So I have to live?" The Eldest Princess smiled self-mockingly.
"You have to live."
She smiled lazily and did not comment. Her orchid-like finger tapped the teacup on the table. As Yuan Hongdao rose to pour her tea, she slowly lowered her face and thought quietly. Yuan Hongdao's thoughts were not wrong. However, he did not understand what kind of person the Emperor was.
In this world, only the Eldest Princess, Li Yunrui, knew best what kind of person her brother the Emperor was. Only she knew that the Emperor was giving her an opportunity. If she did not take advantage of this opportunity, there was no need to mention any future matters.
The Emperor had too many opportunities to kill her, but he did not. Naturally, he hoped to use her to draw out some people. The people of the Junshang Conference who had long been hidden in court, some strange old creature …
She thought to herself that if she won, it wouldn't be a big deal. Even if she lost, it would be good if the Emperor could achieve his goal. Thinking of this, a glimmer of a self-mocking smile once again appeared at the corners of her lips.
…
…
"Brother Hong, what do you think is the final competition in killing?" The Eldest Princess looked at him with a slight smile.
Yuan Hongdao thought for a bit and then said, "Time, opportunity, and the general trend."
"Correct, but also wrong," the Eldest Princess slowly lowered her head and said. The Eldest Princess slowly lowered her head and said, "Actually, in the end, it's just a competition of the crudest, most boring, and most direct things, to see whose saber is faster and who has more fighters."
"Fighting for the throne is actually not fundamentally different from fighting for territory between gangs on the jianghu. The Emperor is overly suspicious and thinks that he can scheme against the world, but he has forgotten one thing. Not all the knives are in his hands. Don't forget what I said before. Because of his suspicions, he will, without a doubt, lose."
The Eldest Princess' cold words set the tone for this entire matter.
…
…
Yuan Hongdao smiled. He knew he could no longer convince the Eldest Princess, so he couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. However, he hid it well and said, "The Crown Prince and Second Prince are almost done contacting them. Once the news arrives, they will begin to make arrangements. There shouldn't be any problems with the civil officials. Tragic news is always the best to strike at the civil officials' hearts. No matter what angle you look at it from, they have no reason to refuse."
"What you say is very reasonable," the Eldest Princess said with a slight smile. The Eldest Princess smiled slightly and said, "The Overwatch Council cannot see the light. They are a powerful tool, but at times, they can never become a decisive force. With only the support of the officials and the support of the palace, what use can Chen Pingping have?"
She then smiled slightly and said, "I heard that Wan 'er has been taking care of the concubine who is about to give birth. Make arrangements for this matter."
… …
On the peak of Dong Mountain, Fan Xian stood outside the door and looked at the person sitting on the prayer mat. The blind man was covered by a black cloth. His figure was not very large, but he always appeared calm. He opened his mouth but didn't say anything.
The Emperor laughed and turned to leave, leaving this place to the uncle and nephew.
Fan Xian walked in and carefully closed the door. After confirming that no one was eavesdropping, he allowed a joyful expression to overflow on his face. He hugged the blind man and gently patted his back.
Wu Zhu still had that cold expression. This coldness was different from Sir Yan junior's. It was not an expression of self-protection. Rather, it was a feeling brought about by the absolute calmness of one's heart.
When Fan Xian hugged him tightly and was about to go mad with joy, the corners of the blind man's mouth opened slightly behind Fan Xian's head and revealed a rare warm smile.
Unfortunately, Fan Xian did not see it. Otherwise, he would certainly do something strange.
Wu Zhu was not someone who liked to be physically intimate with others. Fan Xian was also the same. However, meeting again after a long time, Fan Xian was unable to suppress the joy in his heart and embraced to his heart's content.
The two of them sat separately on the prayer mats and "looked" at each other. They were silent for a long time and didn't speak.
Fan Xian's expression became gentler and happier. He confirmed that the blind man's injuries were more or less healed. For a moment, he didn't know what to say or where to start. Ever since they parted a year and a half ago, he had gone south to Jiangnan to fight the Ming family, been ambushed in the valley, and killed people overnight in Jingdou. He had gone through countless dangerous situations.
However, none of this was what Uncle Wu Zhu wanted to hear. These things were nothing to Wu Zhu. What was the Ming family? Wu Zhu did not care at all. As for the danger of being ambushed in the valley, Wu Zhu would only think that Fan Xian's performance was very poor.
After holding it in for a long time, Fan Xian opened his mouth and said, "Uncle, I'm going to be a father."
…
…
After hearing these words, Wu Zhu, whose expression did not change even under the pressure of Dong Mountain, fell into a rare silence. It was as if he was slowly digesting this news. Then, he tilted his head slightly and said, "You're also going to have a child?"
No one knew how much information was contained in this word. For Wu Zhu, there were only two people in this world. Although there were tens of thousands of people, there were only two people to him. Nothing else existed. Only the matters of these two people were worthy of him remembering.
Twenty years ago, the woman had a child. Twenty years later, the child the woman gave birth to was going to have a child. Although the two events were separated by 20 years, in his feeling, it was like two things had happened one after another. Thus, there was the word "also."
Then, a warm smile bloomed once again at the corners of his lips. Very seriously, he said to Fan Xian, "Congratulations."
Because of this smile and these two words, Fan Xian sank into boundless shock and joy. He could not understand how, after not seeing Uncle Wu Zhu for more than a year, he would say such a vulgar word and not hesitate to show his most human side in front of him. When was the last time he had seen Uncle Wu Zhu smile? Probably when he was still in that grocery store in Danzhou talking about his mother.
For some reason, Fan Xian's heart was warm. It was as if he felt that Wu Zhu was finally willing to smile for him, and not just because of Ye Qingmei. This was something worth remembering.
Wu Zhu's smile immediately disappeared and returned to his usual appearance. Seriously, he said, "When you're going to have a child, you have to say congratulations. This is what the lady taught me. I haven't forgotten, so don't be surprised."
Fan Xian smiled bitterly and was speechless. He opened his mouth and said, "This should be an emotion that comes from the heart. We don't need to remember it."
Wu Zhu's face faced the mural in the temple and said, "For me, this is a very difficult thing. For you, you are celebrating too early."
The thin and absolutely opaque black cloth was tied around his eyes, making the bridge of his nose appear particularly straight. What he said next was also very direct. "The time is not right."
…
…
The meaning of this sentence was too simple and too mysterious. A normal person would certainly not understand. But Fan Xian had lived with Wu Zhu since he was a child, so he easily understood the meaning contained in these four words. He laughed bitterly and nodded his head, acknowledging Uncle Wu Zhu's judgment.
The Emperor was worshipping heaven on Dong Mountain. If someone actually dared to rebel, then Dong Mountain would be the most dangerous place in the world. Correspondingly, Jingdou would be the second most dangerous place in the world. Fan Xian was far away by the seaside and had no way to worry about the situation in Jingdou. If the Eldest Princess and the princes truly had the courage to do such a thing, then what kind of methods would they use against Fan Xian, who appeared to be loyal to the Emperor?
Wan 'er was the Eldest Princess' own daughter, so Fan Xian was not too worried. But, what about Sisi and the child about to be born in her stomach? Even if the Emperor had gained a great advantage on Dong Mountain, once Jingdou fell into chaos, what kind of harm would the people in the Fan manor, the people Fan Xian worried about, suffer?
This was the root of Fan Xian's shock and worry after seeing the Emperor in Danzhou. However, in front of the Emperor, he could not express anything. Only after Wu Zhu directly spoke of the root of the problem did his expression reveal the true emotions in his heart. It was a heavy one.
"The Director and father are in the capital. There shouldn't be any major problems." He seemed to want to convince Uncle Wu Zhu but also to comfort himself.
"The Emperor has not allowed Chen Pingping and Fan Jian to control the army. This is a problem." Wu Zhu's words still did not have any inferences, only results. He lowered his head and coldly said, "If you hurry back to Jingdou right now, perhaps you can still make it in time."
Even if there were people in Jingdou rebelling, they still needed a reason. They had to find a scapegoat for the Emperor's assassination. Thus, the time of the change in Jingdou had to be around 15 days after the Dong Mountain incident.
If Fan Xian rushed back to Jingdou now, he should still make it in time.
Wu Zhu said, "It's useless for you to be here."
Fan Xian thought for a moment and then suddenly said, "My purpose seems to have been completed the moment I saw you."
Ascending Dong Mountain and entering the old temple, the moment he saw Wu Zhu, Fan Xian understood why the Emperor had ordered him to accompany him to worship heaven, why he had stopped him in Danzhou, and why he had brought him to Dong Mountain.
Just as the Emperor had said earlier, since this plan was targeted at Ye Liuyun, he needed Wu Zhu's participation. Not only would Wu Zhu not leave Dong Mountain because of the Emperor's plan, but even if he was on Dong Mountain, if he didn't want to attack Ye Liuyun, he wouldn't attack. The Emperor could order everyone under heaven, but he could not order Wu Zhu. Thus, the Emperor needed Fan Xian's help to persuade Wu Zhu to participate in this matter.
"Presumably, you know why the Emperor brought me to see you," Fan Xian said with his head lowered as he looked at Wu Zhu.
"You also know," Wu Zhu said.
Fan Xian slowly raised his head. There was a complicated expression on his face. A moment later, he said, "I've been in the capital for three and a half years. I've done many things. In reality, I know that these things were all done by someone using me. Now, those people are using me to use you. It's fine with me because I have my own desires. But, you have no desires in this world, so this is unfair to you. "
"There is no such thing as fairness or unfairness in this world," Wu Zhu said calmly. "What is important is whether or not this matter benefits you."
Fan Xian noticed something strange. After being separated from Uncle Wu Zhu for more than a year, the blind uncle seemed to be much more talkative than before. His expression was much more varied. He smiled bitterly and shook his head. "The Emperor has thrown himself into this dangerous situation. If we don't help him and he is actually killed by Ye Liuyun's sword, things will get serious. He is using his own life and the turmoil of the world to force us to help him. "
"Even if we don't care about these two things, I have to care about the safety of those people in Jingdou." Fan Xian paused and then smiled bitterly. "If Ye Liuyun acts, the Eldest Princess and the Second Prince will certainly have reached an agreement in Jingdou. We can't let them succeed. "
Wu Zhu was silent for a moment and then said, "Speak frankly."
Fan Xian sat down in front of him and said sincerely, "Uncle, please protect the Emperor's life. As for Ye Liuyun, don't worry about him."
Wu Zhu nodded straightforwardly.
Fan Xian let out a breath in his heart. The Emperor could use him, but he didn't want to use Uncle Wu Zhu. He only had a few family members in this world. He didn't want too many other things mixed in. Letting Uncle Wu Zhu act did not mean that Fan Xian wasn't worried about his safety. The strange activity before the heaven worship would certainly be the greatest tremor in this land in 20 years. Even if Uncle Wu Zhu had the cultivation of a Great Grandmaster, he might not be able to get away with it.
However, Fan Xian was not very worried because this temple was on the precipice of a high mountain. Even if Uncle Wu Zhu lost in the end, he could just jump into the ocean. With this trick, Ye Liuyun and those big shots would not be able to catch up even if they whipped their horses.
"I should go down the mountain right now," Fan Xian said with his head lowered. In the major event that was about to happen, he didn't have much right to speak. Furthermore, in the depths of his heart, he didn't want to follow the Emperor in this crazy risk.
He knew that the Emperor probably wouldn't let him leave the mountain. Only by using this method of kidnapping hostages well could he move Uncle Wu Zhu to work for him. If Ye Liuyun's sword occasionally turned and pointed at Fan Xian, Wu Zhu would have no choice but to act even if he didn't want to.
"If the other party makes a move, it will certainly be before the heaven worship is complete. In a moment, I will try to convince the Emperor to let me leave the mountain." Fan Xian furrowed his brows. "After this matter is over, please come find me as soon as possible."
Speaking of this matter, he looked at Uncle Wu Zhu's face and asked in a daze, "I don't know what is so special about the heaven worship ceremony or what symbolic meaning it has, but I am curious. Uncle, have you been recovering on Dong Mountain this year?"
Wu Zhu nodded.
"Everyone says that the great Dong Mountain is magical. Is it true?" Fan Xian looked at the black cloth on his face and asked with furrowed brows.
Wu Zhu opened his mouth and said, "I don't know if it's useful for those people's illnesses, but it's very beneficial for my recovery."
Fan Xian's heart trembled slightly. He didn't quite understand these words and asked, "Why?"
"The yuanqi on Dong Mountain is thicker than anywhere else in the world," Wu Zhu said.
Fan Xian's brows furrowed even tighter. "I can't feel it."
"You can only feel the zhenqi in your body," Wu Zhu said. "The yuanqi between heaven and earth is not so easily captured."
He paused for a moment and then said, "Ku He once practiced Western magic. He should be able to feel it."
Fan Xian was silent. He suddenly thought of the two useless sorcerers who had occasionally appeared in his life. He seemed to have vaguely guessed something, but he was unable to connect all the clues together. Magic … this was such a distant and unfamiliar term. When he was young, he had once thought of cultivating magic, but on this land, no one was proficient in it. Even Ku He, who was more of a collection and research of theoretical knowledge.
The night gradually deepened. The temperature at the top of the mountain slowly dropped. The insects in the grass were so cold that they stopped chirping. A somber aura gradually condensed between the temples. Fan Xian raised his face in a daze and looked at the murals painted on the four walls of the temple. The pictures were similar to those in the Qing Temple in Jingdou. It made him slightly absent-minded.
Fan Xian was filled with curiosity toward the Temple and the Qing Temple that followed its style. He had wanted to ask Uncle Wu Zhu, but the pressing situation made it impossible for him to stay for too long.
He stood up and bowed to Wu Zhu. Lowering his voice, he said, "On this mountaintop, it doesn't matter who dies, but you cannot die."
Wu Zhu didn't reply. He tilted his ear and then extended his right hand from his sleeve. He pressed it directly to the ground and didn't move at all.
A moment later, Wu Zhu quietly said, "You won't be able to get down the mountain."
…
…
"You've convinced him." The Emperor held his hands behind his back and stood at the edge of the pitch-black cliff. There were clouds in the sky, hiding the moon behind a thick layer of clouds. The distant blue ocean below the cliff was suffused with a dark color like ink. One could faintly see one or two weak spots of light. They should be the Jiaozhou Navy's escorting ships.
Fan Xian walked behind the Emperor and furrowed his brows slightly. In the afternoon, he had almost fallen off. How exactly did the Emperor train his courage? However, the situation was urgent. He didn't reply to the Emperor's question. Straightforwardly, he said, "Your Majesty, there are riders attacking from the foot of the mountain."
The Emperor slowly turned around with a slight smile on his face. He didn't question how Fan Xian knew what was happening at the foot of the mountain from the top. Gently, he said, "Is that so? How many people are there? "
"I'm not sure." Fan Xian lowered his head and replied, "I think that since the enemy is attacking, we should immediately send out the Tiger Guards to break out and ask for help."
The Emperor looked at him calmly and didn't reply to his words. He only slowly said, "I have something else for you to do."
At the foot of the mountain, a fire arrow shot through the night sky with a whoosh. It lit up a bit of the sky and reported the urgent enemy situation at the foot of the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, the sounds of killing had probably shaken the heavens and blood and flesh flying everywhere. The curtains had been drawn on the most daring act of regicide in the history of the Qing Kingdom.
"Report!" The Deputy Commander of the Imperial Army ran out of the camp at the top of the mountain and knelt in front of the Emperor. He quickly reported what had happened at the foot of the mountain. However, the distance between the summit and the foot of the mountain was very far. It was impossible to completely understand the specific situation with just a few command arrows.
The Deputy Commander's face was deathly pale. He was drenched in sweat in the cold night wind. He only knew that there was an enemy attack at the foot of the mountain. This reality was enough for him to lose his head. He truly couldn't understand how these attacking troops had come to the foot of Dong Mountain without alerting the local government. Under the cover of the night, they had launched a fierce and tragic attack on the 2,000 Imperial Soldiers at the foot of the mountain.
There was no specific content. Fan Xian watched as the Deputy Commander's lips moved up and down. It was like he couldn't hear a single word in his ears. It was like an absurd and laughable soundless scene.
It was indeed laughable. The ruler of a country was surrounded on Dong Mountain deep within the country.
…
…
The sound of killing could not reach the high summit of the mountain. The stench of blood also could not float up. The summit of Dong Mountain was still clear and bright. In the night sky very close to the summit, the thick layer of clouds suddenly dissipated and revealed a bright moon.
The moonlight was like a silver ray shining on the Emperor and Fan Xian's bodies at the summit. Fan Xian narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at the Emperor's god-like figure enveloped in the moonlight. He began to feel nervous and excited. Through the Emperor's iron-like shoulders, he saw a small boat floating in the distance on the ocean.
The small boat rose and fell in the waves. Leisurely moving forward in the moonlight, it headed toward Dong Mountain.
The summit of the mountain was far from the ocean, but Fan Xian still felt the small boat.
Ye Liuyun was standing on the boat.
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