Yuan Hongdao struggled to wake up. There was a sharp pain at the back of his head. He didn't know what environment he was in. His long life of hiding among enemy factions had made him used to constant silence.
Like Wang Qinian, this Overwatch Council official actually had countless questions in his heart. Half a year ago, when the Emperor first took action against the Eldest Princess, although Yuan Hongdao didn't know the reason, the reason the Overwatch Council was able to sweep clean the Eldest Princess' apparent power within an hour was because they relied on this so-called top strategist in Xinyang.
What had puzzled Yuan Hongdao for the past half year was that, after that operation, he should have left his life as a spy. According to the rules of the Council, he should have chosen a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters to retire with honor. However, after escaping from the courtyard, Yan Ruohai had told him to return to Xinyang.
Return to Xinyang!
The Eldest Princess' Xinyang strategist had luckily escaped the Overwatch Council's pursuit. Logically speaking, he should be returning to Xinyang. However, Yuan Hongdao sensed something else from the Overwatch Council's order.
If after that night of thunder and rain, the Eldest Princess was destined to fall and be forever imprisoned, then why would Director Chen call him back to Xinyang?
What exactly was the court thinking? What was he going to do in Xinyang? Yuan Hongdao had been thinking about this question for a few months. When the Eldest Princess easily and easily passed on her plan to Xinyang through the guards of the courtyard and gradually moved the people in Xinyang to Jingdou, he finally understood some things.
From the beginning of the Overwatch Council's operation, they knew that it was impossible for the Eldest Princess to be completely defeated. Perhaps, the Emperor had never planned for the Eldest Princess to never have the power to rise again. That was why he had him, a nail, return to Xinyang to wait for the Eldest Princess's summons and for that moment to come.
The Emperor had gone to Dong Mountain and been assassinated. Jingdou was in chaos. The Crown Prince was about to ascend to the throne. The Eldest Princess had contacted the military to prepare for rebellion. Even if the Eldest Princess did not let Yuan Hongdao know when she planned the Dong Mountain situation, Yuan Hongdao had personally participated in all of the subsequent events. He had already learned of the news at the beginning of the Eldest Princess's plan.
It seemed that it was time for him to display his abilities as the top spy in the Qing Kingdom. However, Yuan Hongdao was shocked to find that he was unable to pass on the information. He was unable to notify the Overwatch Council.
All the channels were instantly disabled, and the bridge of one-way communication was mysteriously cut off. Yuan Hongdao was unable to contact Yan Ruohai, much less Chen Pingping. For a spy of his level, it was even more impossible for him to directly rush into the Overwatch Council and yell.
His expression was calm, but his heart was terrified and uneasy. He didn't know exactly what had happened in the Overwatch Council. This kind of uneasy state continued until Fan Xian finally broke into the Palace and began to use the martial power of his subordinates to sweep away the opposition in Jingdou.
Yuan Hongdao had secretly cooperated with the Overwatch Council's actions and allowed the Eldest Princess' temporary royal courtyard to be taken. However, he knew that Fan Xian had already made a fatal mistake. Thus, in the last moment, he took the risk of calling out to the Overwatch Council official.
He didn't trust anyone. In comparison, since he couldn't contact Chen Pingping and Yan Ruohai, in the entire court, the only person he trusted the most was Chen Pingping's successor, Sir Fan junior.
Unfortunately, he didn't know what kind of a hothead Mu Feng 'er was, so he was miserably knocked down with one punch.
…
…
Yuan Hongdao calmed his breathing and opened his eyes. He discovered that he was in a corner tower above the Imperial City, and in front of him was a handsome young man who was looking at him with a worried expression. Yuan Hongdao knew this person's identity. Although he didn't know why this person would personally interrogate him at such a tense moment, Yuan Hongdao directly said,
"Zhang Fang belongs to the Eldest Princess."
Fan Xian nodded and didn't say anything. The Commander of the 13 city gate guards, Zhang Fang, had the courtesy name Deqing. Everyone thought he was a righteous and loyal figure. Yet, he belonged to the Eldest Princess. This reality was enough to shock everyone. However, it was no longer able to add too much worry to his already helpless emotions.
Yan Bingyun had not returned. The official responsible for keeping watch in the Council had also not returned. There had to be something wrong with the city gate guards.
Unfortunately, Yuan Hongdao had woken up too late.
Fan Xian sighed in his heart. It was almost dawn. The Jingdou city gate guards had fallen. The Ye and Qin families' armies had entered the city at some point. At such a critical moment, he shouldn't have thought of Yuan Hongdao. However, looking at the officials resting in Taiji Palace, he, filled with helplessness, suddenly remembered the words his father-in-law had once said to him in Wuzhou.
Other than Chen Pingping and Fan Jian, there were three people Lin Ruofu feared in court. Other than Chen Pingping and Fan Jian, it was the old Qin Master, who led the army. This powerful figure had told Fan Xian seriously that he would not give his trump card in court to Fan Xian in case the tree stood out in the forest and was blown down by the wild winds.
Unless … when the new Emperor ascended the throne.
Presently, the Qing Emperor had already died. Fan Xian was in Jingdou helping the Third Prince steal the throne. Thus, the Lin civil officials in Jingdou tore off their disguises and stood behind Fan Xian, following the scholars Hu and Shu to stop the Crown Prince from ascending the throne.
Fan Xian thought to himself that his father-in-law had been clever his whole life. His timing was very accurate. However, he didn't know if he would succeed this time.
However, Prime Minister Lin's last words were remembered clearly by Fan Xian.
"If the capital truly becomes chaotic in the future, perhaps Yuan Hongdao can help you."
A year ago, Lin Ruofu had calculated the Dong Mountain incident. Fan Xian admired his father-in-law's foresight to the point of prostrating himself on the ground, so he did not forget this move he had given him. When he sank into a dangerous situation he could not extricate himself from, he immediately thought of the top strategist in Xinyang under the Eldest Princess' command.
Indeed, Sir Yuan was a spy the Overwatch Council had planted in Xinyang. This reality shocked Fan Xian and immediately made him vexed. If he had known of the problem with the city gate guards earlier, he and the Great Prince would not have been so passive. In the end, it was still too late. In the end, this was still a matter of fate. He didn't know how much longer his good luck could last.
Yuan Hongdao stared into Fan Xian's eyes and said, "Why have I been unable to contact the Council?" Although these words were calm, there was no lack of anger in them. There was none of Sir Yuan's usual ease. He had precious intelligence on the Eldest Princess' side in his hands, but he was unable to provide it to the Overwatch Council and court. His loyalty to the Qing Kingdom and the Emperor made Sir Yuan feel that something was very strange. Thus, he became angry.
Fan Xian was silent and didn't know what to say. If possible, he wanted to personally ask Chen Pingping.
The morning wind blew into the tall corner tower of the Royal Palace, causing the smell of blood from last night to gradually fade. The smell of burning in the private residences in Jingdou also disappeared. However, the pitiful commoners still did not dare to leave their homes. With great fear, they closed their doors and hid in their beds, praying that the killing game of these major figures would quickly end.
Above the Royal Palace, the bugle horns rang out repeatedly. The sound was powerful and powerful. No one knew how far it could travel.
Fan Xian stood by Yuan Hongdao's side. With a calm expression, he said, "The Jingdou Garrison won't be able to enter the capital until noon. The Qin and Ye families still need another three days. If we move quickly, we can still take back the nine city gates."
A glimmer of shock flashed through Yuan Hongdao's eyes. Immediately after, a flame of anger burned in them. In a great rage, he said, "Is there no one in the Garrison in the Council?"
Fan Xian's heart jumped and he abruptly turned to look at him.
Yuan Hongdao gazed at him and said each word clearly, "The Qin family's army has advanced through the night. I'm afraid they are not far from Jingdou."
Fan Xian pressed his lips tightly together. His face became pale.
He had not panicked even after learning of the news of the city gate department's betrayal because he believed he had a clear grasp of the old Qin family's movements. As long as the army had not arrived, he still had time to retake control of the nine city gates with the more powerful Imperial Army and Overwatch Council's destructive power.
The Qin family's army was about to arrive?
Yan Bingyun's father was in the Qin family. How could he not have sent back news of the army's departure?
…
…
Fan Xian walked to the Great Prince's side and said, "Withdraw the soldiers and return to the Palace. The Qin family's army is about to arrive."
The Great Prince's brows were furrowed tightly. The Imperial Army had just left the Royal Palace. Now, they had to withdraw because of a piece of news that he could not believe. He knew that what he cared about the most right now was the speed of his reaction. He didn't have time to discuss anything with Fan Xian. Taking a deep breath, he had the soldier at his side wave the little yellow flag in his hand.
The yellow flag flipped, and the horn sounded again from above the Royal Palace. The rhythm gradually picked up and tightened. The Imperial Army, which was charging out of the Royal Palace like a few dragons, suddenly heard the sound of the horn returning to camp. Without prior agreement, they all pulled back and began to head back in the direction of the Royal Palace. In the distance, the group that had already entered deep into the residential streets and alleys also began to move.
Fan Xian made a hand gesture to the subordinate beside him. The subordinate nodded and took out an arrow of command from his sleeve. Sending it out, it drew out a wretched cry in the air in front of the Royal Palace.
Immediately after, the sound of an arrow of command rang out from the Bureau of Military Affairs, the headquarters of the Overwatch Council, the offices of the various departments, and the important streets as a response.
When the signal arrow fell, the nearly 2,000 secret agents of the Overwatch Council in Jingdou heard the order and moved, disappearing into the streets and alleys.
In a moment, not a single person could be seen on the streets of Jingdou, particularly on Tianhe Avenue, which passed through the Overwatch Council and Bureau of Military Affairs and led directly to the Royal Palace. It was so deserted that it made one's heart palpitate. There were only a few green leaves that had been blown down by the autumn wind and rolled on the empty street.
"It doesn't matter how the Crown Prince found out about the raid and escaped." Fan Xian stood beside the Great Prince and said, "It is clear that the Eldest Princess left the Palace prepared. She had long guessed what we would do."
The Great Prince's brows were furrowed tightly as he looked down at all the activity in Jingdou. He analyzed in his heart which direction the army would enter the capital from and what he should do next.
"In order to break into the palace, all of our forces killed their way in … but she commanded the armies of the Ye and Qin families, and slowly came in through the city gate guards that we couldn't control." Fan Xian calmly said, "She gave the Royal Palace to us and then surrounded it to play … does this count as inviting the enemy into a trap?"
"I had wanted to have a flower in my stomach and fire on all sides. Unexpectedly, this fire did not burn her. On the contrary, she used a layer of gauze to bind this flower of mine."
Fan Xian's palm gently patted the sturdy bricks of the Royal Palace. Faintly, he said, "In the end, we still underestimated this aunt."
The Eldest Princess knew where Fan Xian and the Overwatch Council's advantage was. Thus, she was willing to retreat and let Fan Xian break into the Palace and appear to control everything.
Presently, the Palace had the empress dowager, the Third Prince, Yi Guipin, Ning the Talented, countless nobles, the scholars Hu and Shu, and countless civil officials and subordinates loyal to Fan Xian.
These people were power, but they were also a burden. If Fan Xian had a pair of wings, then the people the Eldest Princess had purposely left in the Palace would be like hammers on Fan Xian's wings, preventing him from flying as he pleased.
Even if the army surrounded the city, they probably wouldn't be able to surround a terrifying nocturnal ace like Fan Xian. However, he carried the legacy of the Qing Kingdom and the lives of countless people in the Palace on his shoulders. How could Fan Xian escape? Could he bear to escape?
…
…
The Great Prince had been silent the entire time. Occasionally, he would give orders and begin to prepare to defend the Royal Palace and prepare all the equipment. He did not have the leisure to chat with Fan Xian at such a time. He knew what kind of terrifying danger he was about to face.
Fan Xian looked woodenly at everything in Jingdou. It was as if he could see Li Yunrui's extremely beautiful face looking at him with a delicate and timid gaze. Quietly, she said, "My good son-in-law, I have prepared many things for you."
He spat toward the Palace in the Royal Palace as if he wanted to spit on her face. However, he had to admit that his mother-in-law was indeed much stronger than him in these areas. Fan Xian thought to himself that if it weren't for those strange reasons, he would not be trapped in the Royal Palace right now.
"How long can we defend?" he asked the Great Prince.
The Great Prince's expression was solemn. In a low voice, he said, "The Royal Palace's walls are high. If the Ye and Qin families attack in the middle of the night and don't bring large siege weapons, I can defend until the last moment."
As the Commander of the Western Expedition Army, the Great Prince had experienced countless bloody battles in his life. Thus, when faced with the army approaching the capital, he did not panic at all. However, the last moment in this sentence had already explained everything.
"Since Li Yunrui already had a plan, the Ye and Qin families should have made preparations," Fan Xian said with his head lowered. "I only hope that you can hold out for a few more days. Leading the army into battle can only depend on you."
"Hold out until the messengers notify the various garrisons and the Governors of the Six Roads to send reinforcements?" The Great Prince swept a glance at him and said rudely, "Give up on that thought. It is impossible for those messengers to still be alive."
Fan Xian sighed in his heart and thought, I am not waiting for those people.
…
…
Last night, I had a stomachache and tossed and turned in bed. When I woke up today, my mind was completely muddled.
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