The Emperor issued a few secret edicts in succession. He then furrowed his brows and said something in a low voice to Eunuch Yao. Eunuch Yao was slightly startled, but his head was lowered very low, terrified of revealing even the slightest inappropriate emotion.
The Qing Emperor had used himself as bait to kill the two Great Grandmasters in the Dong Mountain situation. Naturally, he was prepared for everything that happened under heaven, such as the 5,000 rebel soldiers at the foot of Dong Mountain and the rebellion that was about to happen in Jingdou.
Since the Eldest Princess had the power to create such a large situation, she would not pass up the opportunity to control the Qing Kingdom in one go. This opportunity was bestowed upon her by the Emperor. Once the situation developed, if he wanted the Qing Kingdom to maintain a stable development, it seemed that the Emperor, far away in Dong Mountain, could only rush back to Jingdou and use his supreme authority to stabilize the situation in Jingdou.
The Emperor had long ambushed provincial soldiers in Jiangbei. It did not involve the movements of the Bureau of Military Affairs. It was all planned in secret with Xue Qing and the Governor of Jiangbei Road. Naturally, it would not disturb the power of the Qin family. With such an ambush army, how could the 5,000 rebel soldiers at the foot of Dong Mountain be enough?
All of the conspirators saw the Emperor as a fierce tiger in a trap. They did not think that this fierce tiger had actually been standing by the side of the trap the entire time, watching coldly as the hunters lost their footing.
If the Qing Emperor wanted to rush back to Jingdou and forcefully suppress the internal chaos, it would not be difficult. However, when the Emperor and Chen Pingping had spoken twice by the palace pillars in front of the royal study and decided on this plan, he had never thought that once he finished the Dong Mountain matter, he would use the army to sweep through Dongshan Road and then return to court to tidy up state affairs. Although the Dong Mountain matter had happened by the seaside, its effects had spread throughout the entire Qing Kingdom. For him, this was a rare opportunity.
After a long period of planning, the main goal of the Dong Mountain matter was to remove the two biggest obstacles to the Qing Kingdom's unification of the world. This was the so-called external threat. However, the external threat had been removed. What about the internal threat?
This was an opportunity for the Emperor. He would use his death to lure out all the restless elements in the court. Once the officials, who usually appeared to be incomparably loyal to him, knew of his death, would they still follow his final edict? Would they still have any respect for him? Would the little person hidden in the darkness and fog jump out now?
Just as the Emperor had always emphasized to Fan Xian and his sons, he valued people's hearts. The situation in Jingdou was, without question, the best opportunity to test people's hearts.
The Emperor stood in front of Ye Liuyun, who was sitting cross-legged and healing. His expression was calm, but there were slight wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. What he said to Eunuch Yao was simple. He was going to send an edict to Chen Pingping to seal off the news.
These were the two people the Emperor trusted the most. The Emperor wanted to see them one last time. Once Fan Xian and Ye Zhong passed this psychological test, they would obtain his absolute trust. However, the Emperor on the peak of Dong Mountain had truly not thought that the situation in Jingdou would be so dangerous, that the people in the Palace would be so hurt, and that his sister would be so powerful.
Ye Liuyun sighed and quietly said, "If we don't hurry back to Jingdou, I'm afraid there will be great chaos."
In order to achieve great governance, there must first be great chaos. Using a storm of blood and wind to wash out the gold from the yellow sand and forge a united, iron-like Qing Kingdom could lay a good foundation for the war to unify the land in two or three years. The Qing Emperor did not think much of such a price. However, he also did not underestimate his sister. He knew that if this happened, the entire Qing Kingdom would probably sink into a storm.
"I fought for this land," the Emperor said coldly. "Even if Yunrui sits firmly in Jingdou, I can still fight back."
After these words were said, the Emperor didn't say anything more. After coughing, he slowly walked toward the blood-stained mountain gate at the foot of Dong Mountain with Eunuch Yao's support. The signal arrow had already been raised. The sounds of killing rang out again at the foot of the mountain. The officials and attendants accompanying the heaven worship came down the mountain with faces full of fear. A number of people had already made a stretcher. Humbly, they helped Ye Liuyun lie down.
The transmission of information in this era was unusually slow. Chen Pingping, far away in Jingdou, had already arranged everything. The Overwatch Council was powerful enough to seal off any true information from Dong Mountain Road. The Emperor had calculated that at the beginning of the rebellion, his proud and crazy sister would send news of his death back to Jingdou and push the entire situation into a crazy situation from which there was no way to recover. Since the Eldest Princess had started the Dong Mountain incident, regardless of whether the Emperor was alive or dead, she had to handle all matters in Jingdou with the mentality that the Emperor was already dead. This was the madness of staking everything on one throw.
However, Ku He and Sigu Jian were still alive. The 5,000 rebel soldiers at the foot of the mountain and the Jiaozhou Navy rebel army on the sea could not be completely destroyed. At most, in another seven days, the true situation at Dong Mountain would get out.
Given the distance between the two places and the Overwatch Council's ability to seal off information along the way, in about 30 days, the people of Jingdou would know of this earth-shattering news.
At that time, the Eldest Princess would presumably have already started for a dozen days. No one knew if Jingdou could be held.
As the Emperor walked silently down the mountain, he thought about all of this. Although he was confident, he still did not want his Jingdou or his Qing Kingdom to see too much turmoil. Comparing the two, he was still willing to take a risk and see the sincerity hidden in the deepest parts of people.
He wanted to see the power of people, particularly Fan Xian's. He wanted to see whether or not Fan Xian could understand the heart of a monarch and help the Emperor guard his homeland.
He had not thought that Fan Xian would fight a beautiful battle but be restrained by the Eldest Princess with even more beautiful methods. In the end, Fan Xian had guessed the Emperor's thoughts. However, the methods he used to protect his Jingdou home were things the Emperor had never expected or wanted to see.
No matter how the Emperor calculated, he still missed one thing. It was the empress dowager's attitude. This Emperor, famous for his filial piety and known to rule the world through filial piety, had forgotten that his mother was actually like him. She would forever place the Qing Kingdom and the survival of the royal family first. Other than his own life, it was more important.
Before he went down the mountain, the Emperor, who had just obtained the greatest success of his life, still calmly gave one last order: capture alive the leader of the rebel army at the foot of the mountain. Although the black-clothed man at the foot of the mountain was not a Great Grandmaster, he was another important figure in the Qing Emperor's heart.
… …
Wang Qinian lowered his head and fled down the mountain through the dense forest in the wind and rain. Before Ku He's first palm landed on old Eunuch Hong's chest, this Overwatch Council official, who had seen the opportunity quickly, had secretly slipped down the mountain while no one was paying attention. He was known as the two wings of the Overwatch Council. Back then, he had been a great bandit who had swept through Dongyi and Northern Qi. When he did this kind of sneaky action, it was truly sharp.
The sharp edges of the leaves brushed past his body. Although they were unable to cut through the Overwatch Council's special robes, they still shocked him. He didn't know what would happen at the top of the mountain. He only knew that such a scene was not something someone of his level should be prying into or curious about.
In his opinion, the Emperor was dead for sure. No one could survive the combined attack of three Great Grandmasters. Thus, he decided to flee at the first opportunity. His thoughts were simple. He had to send this shocking news to Jingdou at the first opportunity. Although he didn't know if he would be able to run into Fan Xian, who was also fleeing, he had to at least notify Director Chen.
Jumping over a col, he cautiously used the wind, rain, and trees as cover. He had already come to the middle of the mountain without a sound. At this moment, he heard a muffled sound at the top of the mountain followed by the sound of a bell.
It was the moment the Qing Emperor had punched out with the Way of the Emperor's killing fist and Sigu Jian's heavily injured body crashed into the ancient temple's bronze bell.
Wang Qinian paused and continued to lower his head. He hadn't walked for long when he felt some movement behind him. Unconsciously, he hid his body in a pile of weeds and watched the slanted stone path in the distance.
Two bloody people walked down the stone path. Wang Qinian was familiar with the young man. It was Thirteenth Wang, whom he had interacted with for a long time in Jiangnan. Who was on his back?
Wang Qinian's eyes widened. Listening to the weak but comical conversation between the two bloody people, he finally knew who Thirteenth Wang was carrying.
The bloody person with the broken arm was Thirteenth Wang's teacher.
Wang Qinian was Fan Xian's most trusted aide. He even knew about the matter of the chest. Naturally, he also knew Thirteenth Wang's true identity. Thirteenth Wang was the last disciple of Dongyi's Sigu Jian. Then, his teacher was Sigu Jian.
Wang Qinian's shocked pupils constricted. He didn't even dare to breathe loudly. He could only calmly watch this strange and sorrowful pair of teacher and disciple walk down the stone steps step by step. A moment later, he came back to his senses. He was still slightly absent-minded. He wondered what had happened on the summit of the mountain. Who in this world could injure Sigu Jian to such an extent?
Before Wang Qinian could wake up from his shock, a hemp-clothed figure floated down the mountain in a strange posture. Wang Qinian looked at this scene and almost vomited blood. What was going on with Master Ku He? Magic? Looking at this old bald donkey's face, why was it like a zombie's?
Two Great Grandmasters had walked past Wang Qinian's eyes one after another. Furthermore, they had left in such a dejected manner. Perhaps they had already discovered Wang Qinian's hiding like a field mouse. At this moment, how could the two Great Grandmasters who didn't have long to live have the energy to pay attention to him?
However, Wang Qinian was extremely shocked. He couldn't understand how the two grandmasters, who had charged to the top of East Mountain like gods, could become like this in such a short time.
After a long time, he straightened his body with trembling legs and turned his head toward the peak of Dong Mountain that rose into the clouds. He thought to himself, Had the Emperor won? Perhaps he should return to the summit of the mountain to see what had happened. However, the shock in his heart and a faint sense of fear urged his legs to continue walking down the mountain.
Past noon and into the night, the sounds of killing rose up from all directions at the foot of the mountain. Wang Qinian, who had been hiding in the darkness like a bat, finally took the opportunity to break out of the battlefield. He finally confirmed the reality that the Emperor was still alive and well. The rebellion had failed. The Great Grandmasters were doomed.
He made a decision on his own. He would no longer follow the heaven worship procession. Instead, he ran toward Jingdou as fast as he could. He had to tell Fan Xian the truth of this matter and provide background information that Sir Fan junior could use for reference. Only then could he prevent Fan Xian from making an unforgivable mistake in Jingdou.
Wang Qinian was an official of the Overwatch Council and an official of the Emperor. He was certain of only one identity. He was Fan Xian's trusted aide. He knew too many things about Fan Xian and too many thoughts. He was very afraid that Fan Xian would make some wrong decisions because of the Emperor's death.
It was just like how the Jiaozhou Navy Admiral Xu Maocai had advised Fan Xian to make a decision on the boat.
For some reason, Wang Qinian guessed the Emperor's thoughts. He was terrified and worried for Fan Xian and everyone in Jingdou. Thus, he used the fastest speed and experienced countless twists and turns to rush back to Jingdou. He rushed ahead of the Overwatch Council and the Eldest Princess' spies. Carrying this world-shaking news, he came to Chen Garden.
He was the first person in the world to spread this news.
In the end, he did not spread this news. The old cripple of the Overwatch Council had directly tied him up and gagged his mouth, not giving him any chance to spread the news.
In the few days after the old cripple learned of the situation on Dong Mountain, he developed a new habit. He often sighed to his old servant. "You have to know that it is not an easy thing to make a person die."
… …
When Wang Qinian prepared to slip down the mountaintop, Gao Da had already slipped away. These trusted aides at Fan Xian's side had, without question, been infected with too much of Fan Xian's scent. They were different from most people in this world. In the depths of their hearts, they had already unconsciously begun to view their own lives as more important than the Emperor's.
In a society with imperial power, this was a rebellious thought. Although Fan Xian had never said it explicitly, the way he did things in secret from the court and the imperceptible influence he had on the words and actions of the people at his side all showed this point.
When Gao Da trembled as he fled down the mountain, he had certainly not thought of this. Like Wang Qinian, he did not see Sigu Jian and Ku He's heavily injured figures. However, he had discovered the truth of the matter at the foot of the mountain.
He was afraid and terrified because his and Wang Qinian's identities were different. The officials of the Overwatch Council were the Emperor's subjects, while the Tiger Guards were the Emperor's servants, or perhaps, the last layer of protection. Wang Qinian could run, but the Tiger Guards could not, particularly when the Emperor's life was in danger.
For the Tiger Guards, fleeing in the face of battle was a kind of humiliation and a monstrous crime. Perhaps Gao Da could lessen the feeling of humiliation in his heart, but he could not avoid this crime.
The stone path was covered with the bodies of the Tiger Guards and shattered blades. All of his colleagues had died on Dong Mountain. When he faintly understood the result of the assassination at the mountaintop, Gao Da became angry, hurt, and afraid.
A hundred Tiger Guards had died just like that. When had the Emperor ever cared about their lives? Gao Da's heart was cold. He knew that he would never be able to return to the Emperor's side. Once he showed himself, what awaited him would be the severe punishment of the Qing law and Palace rules. Not only would he die, but perhaps even his family would be implicated.
Thus, he chose to flee even more resolutely. He trusted Fan Xian, but he could not return to Fan Xian's side because he didn't want to bring any trouble to Sir Fan junior.
He only wanted to leave the unfathomable Royal Palace and the Emperor whose power could not be offended. He wanted to go to a distant place and live the rest of his life in peace.
At the end of the Dong Mountain incident, two of Fan Xian's trusted aides chose their own paths. At the time, it did not attract much attention. No one had even noticed this. But when it came to things like life, who could say anything about it? Every sip and every peck was destined. The cause sown today would bear a bitter fruit in the future.
…
…
While Gao Da and Wang Qinian were running on the road, the thousands of rebel soldiers at the foot of Dong Mountain and the ninth-level assassins in Dongyi were also on the road to escape. The Jiaozhou Navy ships on the sea had not yet entered the deep ocean when they were blocked off by the ships that Shazhou had sent over.
Although the combined fighting power of the two provincial soldiers was far from that of Yan Xiaoyi's personal longbow soldiers, the most important thing in a battle between two armies was momentum. Ku He and Sigu Jian, two figures who were like gods in the hearts of common soldiers, had both met such a tragic end. What would these rebel soldiers, who had betrayed the Emperor, think?
When the Emperor, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, and Ye Liuyun, who had been the protector of the Qing Kingdom for decades, walked out of the mountain and appeared in front of the rebel soldiers, this rebellion had already come to an end. The military had not moved, but their morale had already been defeated.
Thousands of rebel soldiers stood at the foot of Dong Mountain in fear and helplessness. The roads leading to the wilderness had already been surrounded by layers of provincial soldiers who had come on orders. They knew they had no way out, but they could not summon up the last of their courage to carry out the last struggle of their lives.
His Majesty's words shattered everything they had. "I will pardon you all from the death penalty."
Regardless of whether they believed it or not, this was still a sweet, poisonous fruit. The rebel army abandoned their weapons and surrendered, but it was unknown how they would be massacred and cleansed in the next two years.
…
…
When the provincial soldiers began to surround them, before the Qing Emperor had come down the mountain, the Qing Emperor had not yet come down the mountain. After attacking the mountain, Yun Zhilan and a group of Dongyi assassins still had a dozen people left. They received Sigu Jian, who Thirteenth Wang had bravely carried down from the mountain. Knowing the truth at the summit, they broke away from the rebel army with chills all over their bodies and began to kill their way into the woods in the north. Such a group indeed had a powerful killing power. They successfully broke through the perimeter and entered the secret mountain paths that used to be Danzhou.
The Qing Emperor was a person, not a god. Even if he could calculate everything, in order to give the Eldest Princess a chance and for the bigger picture, he could not take care of everything. There were too many cracks appearing within the Qing Kingdom. It was a foolish dream to want to wipe out all the opposing forces in one fell swoop. He was not surprised by Dongyi's breakthrough.
However, the Qing Emperor had given an order to the black-clothed commander of the rebel army because he was very interested in him. Even though he knew the chances of capturing him were not high, he still had to try.
Master Ku He, with an inauspicious yellow face, was sitting behind the black-clothed man's horse and following him out of the encirclement. For a Grandmaster to be so dispirited, a glimmer of sorrow flashed through the black-clothed man's eyes.
Because of the Qing Emperor's order, the pursuit of the black-clothed commander was the strongest. Although the provincial soldiers were not very powerful and the Tiger Guards had all died, the Qing Emperor's troops finally succeeded in blocking the black-clothed commander at an intersection.
It seemed to be a dead end. The other party had at least 300 soldiers. It seemed impossible to kill them all. The sounds of pursuit rose again from behind.
The Qing Emperor wanted to capture him alive. Once he could not, so what if he killed him?
The black-clothed man had led the Northern Expedition Army to surround the mountain. He had only brought two trusted soldiers. However, this person led unfamiliar subordinates and was able to divide and surround the Imperial Army, not allowing a single one of them to escape. It could truly be said that he was a godly commander. In the end, the momentum on the battlefield was like a landslide. Even if he had extraordinary abilities, he could not make Yan Xiaoyi's trusted soldiers overcome the respect and fear they felt toward the Emperor and Ye Liuyun. In the end, they still lost.
Looking at the hundreds of soldiers in front of him, the black-clothed man, who had always appeared calm and gentle during the encirclement of the mountain, finally slowly straightened his body and carefully tied Master Ku He to his back. The two trusted soldiers beside him each held an object wrapped in cloth. After untying the layers of coarse cloth, they revealed a metal rod about the length of an arm inside.
The black-clothed man calmly accepted it with both hands and put it together with a clang. With a wave of one hand, killing intent surged. A long, black metal spear suddenly appeared in his hand. With the spear in his hand, a powerful fighting spirit abruptly exploded from his calm eyes. His entire body also began to emanate a murderous aura. He was like a god of war.
He squeezed the sides of his horse. Alone with Ku He on his back, he charged toward the 300 soldiers. His aura was like thunder and could not be stopped. It was as if he had returned to that night in Shangjing, when the rain fell as arrogantly.
…
…
"Two of his trusted soldiers died, but he escaped with Ku He on his back," a provincial general reported in a trembling voice as he knelt in front of the Qing Emperor.
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