On the hill in the night, the faint silver moon swam in and out of the clouds, making the place flicker between bright and dark. Jing Ge stared at the lonely carriage on the road at the foot of the mountain. A moment later, an angry snort came out of his silver mask. The black and incomparably sturdy spear hung beside his warhorse. His hands were not the only ones on the horse's reins.
Ever since the rebellion in the autumn of the seventh year of the Qing calendar, the Qin family had been destroyed. In front of the tens of thousands of people in the Royal Palace, the silver-masked Jing Ge who had challenged Qin Heng had become a legendary figure. In particular, during these three years, Chen Pingping had purposely given up power to cultivate the new power of the Overwatch Council. In order to smoothly hand over this Council to Fan Xian, as Fan Xian's trusted aide, Jing Ge had taken over the position of Commander of the Black Knights of the Fifth Bureau.
In the instant the old man in the wheelchair at the foot of the mountain had been carried into the carriage, a glimmer of despair and anger rose in Jing Ge's heart. Squeezing his horse's belly, he prepared to lead his Black Knights to charge down and snatch the person. He could not just watch as Director Chen stepped onto the road to certain death on his way back to the capital.
Back then, he had been bullied and humiliated in the army camp. During a routine drill, he had howled and attacked in self-defense. Unexpectedly, he had killed the eldest son of the Qin family. From that day on, he had been thrown into the Qing Kingdom's death prison. The family and wife he had left behind in his hometown had all been secretly killed by the Qin family in revenge. He was already a dead man, but unexpectedly, Chen Pingping secretly saved him and arranged for him to be part of the Shadow Knights. He wore a silver mask to hide his true appearance. For the sake of revenge, for the sake of repaying the debt of gratitude, he had been promoted to the position of Deputy Commander in the Shadow Knights.
Fan Xian had given him a chance for revenge, so he was very grateful to Fan Xian. However, he knew that it was Chen Pingping who had given him a second life. In his heart, the silver-masked Jing Ge saw Director Chen as a second parent.
On the mountain, Chen Pingping's wheelchair got into the carriage. A murderous intent surged in his heart, and he was about to rush down when the bald man beside him coldly pulled on the reins.
Jing Ge looked back angrily. His eyes, as deep as the netherworld, stared at the baldy through the holes in the silver mask. However, he did not attack because this baldy had more seniority in the Overwatch Council than him and had once held a more important position. This baldy was the previous head of the Seventh Bureau that Fan Xian had met in the Overwatch Council prison.
"The Director has said that your mission is to take these 4,000 Black Knights and escort the carriages out of the country. Then, you must ensure that these 4,000 Black Knights are all handed over to Sir Fan junior's hands without a single exception."
The bald man's face appeared particularly old and tired. In the depths of his heart, he was just like Jing Ge, filled with sorrow and anger. However, he was Chen Pingping's most trusted old official. He had appeared among the Black Knights today on the old Director's orders to suppress any possible unrest in the Black Knights.
"Do you know that if the Director returns to the capital, he will never be able to come out again?" Jing Ge looked at him coldly and slowly asked, enunciating each word.
"This is the Director's will. Everything I have done is done in accordance with his will." The bald leader's expression was calm. He did not retreat a single step.
Jing Ge stared in a daze at the road. He then saw Chen Pingping at the carriage door, looking back at him with a sharp gaze. His body trembled. He slowly raised his right hand and formed it into a fist, restraining the violent emotions in the hearts of his subordinates.
After a long time, Jing Ge watched the black carriages slowly embark on the road back to the capital while being surrounded or escorted by 3,000 elite riders of the Jingdou Garrison. Jing Ge took a deep breath and slowly took off the silver mask on his face, revealing the terrifying and wretched wound. He didn't speak for a long time.
He bid farewell to Chen Pingping. He knew that he would probably never see the old Director again. The usually cold Jing Ge's eyes became slightly moist.
The bald leader continued to stare in that direction in silence. There was a slight smile on his face, but a joyous desire to die gradually rose in his eyes. The bald leader dismounted from his horse and knelt down toward the quiet road. Very respectfully, he kowtowed.
Jing Ge looked at his expression and felt slightly shocked. He knew that once this elder completed his task of watching him leave the country, he would probably leave with Director Chen. His heart felt slightly sorrowful, but he didn't say anything. He only looked at him calmly. He then dismounted from his horse and kowtowed in that direction.
All of the Black Knights dismounted at the same time and knelt down densely on the small hill. They kowtowed toward the road that no longer had people or carriages and bid farewell to Director Chen.
A moment later, Jing Ge carefully put on the silver mask on his face. In a raspy voice, he gave the order, "Retreat. Head east."
These 4,000 Black Knights were the Overwatch Council's most powerful and reliable martial power. Regardless of how the Emperor wanted to deal with Chen Pingping or what methods the court would think of to weaken the Overwatch Council to offset any possible backlash from Chen Pingping, the Black Knights would always be the most important in the eyes of the court.
Since Jing Ge accepted Chen Pingping's orders, he had to send these 4,000 Black Knights safely out of the Qing Kingdom's borders and into Fan Xian's hands. This was one of the last gifts Chen Pingping would give Fan Xian.
The silver-masked Jing Ge knew that his mission was very important. Thus, when he led the Black Knights down the hill, his back was also very heavy.
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…
If Chen Pingping was truly willing to fight the Emperor head-on, these 4,000 Black Knights moving freely between the Qing Kingdom's provinces could, without question, start from within the Qing Kingdom and cut countless bone-deep wounds in the Qing Kingdom's abdomen. Additionally, there were spies the Overwatch Council had planted in the various ministries and border armies. It would not be difficult for Chen Pingping's final struggle to throw the entire Qing Kingdom into turmoil.
However, Chen Pingping did not have such a choice. He would rather return to the capital alone to face the incomparably powerful Emperor than have the Overwatch Council subordinates loyal to him shed all pretenses of cordiality with the court and start a great battle. He protected the interests of the Qing court to the greatest extent. After all, he was loyal to the Qing Kingdom.
Of course, someone as scheming and deep as Chen Pingping would not allow his Overwatch Council men to be toyed with by the court and the Emperor because of his return to the capital. He knew that under the Emperor's powerful strength and in front of the Qing Kingdom's powerful machinery, even if the Overwatch Council used all its strength, it could, at most, throw the world into turmoil. It would not be able to guarantee its own survival.
He did not want the Overwatch Council men to come to any harm. Thus, he chose to follow the carriages out of the capital and to Dazhou. Then, he cleverly gathered the people he wanted to protect and the power he wanted to leave Fan Xian with to have them far away from Jingdou, a place of trouble.
This included Wang Qinian, the accompanying beauties on the carriages, the Overwatch Council officials most loyal to him, the old head of the Seventh Bureau who had followed him for 30 years, and, of course, the 4,000 Black Knights he had secretly managed for many years.
These were all people Chen Pingping believed had to survive. They were also people Fan Xian needed. These people were silently and sorrowfully advancing in the dark night. They were preparing to cross the Qing Kingdom's borders and enter deep into Dongyi, which was already controlled by Fan Xian and the Great Prince. From then on, they would break away from the Qing Emperor's control and truly become an independent and powerful power in Fan Xian's hands.
These powers were the bargaining chips Chen Pingping had left for Fan Xian. They could allow Fan Xian to negotiate with the Emperor.
However, these bargaining chips had their own emotions and their own friendships. The Black Knights searched for mountain paths around the official roads and advanced like ghosts. Under the bald head's cold gaze, the silver-masked Jing Ge could only give up on the idea of sending soldiers forward to slaughter the Jingdou Garrison riders and take back the old Director. On the carriages they were protecting, the officials and secret agents of the Overwatch Council had even deeper thoughts.
Wang Qinian's disguised face was not only stiff, it also seemed to have aged. He glanced at Gao Da beside him, covered in blood. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "The Director returned to the capital … only to seek death."
Gao Da was still in a semi-conscious state, and the mute woman could not speak. She looked at the man in astonishment, not knowing who he was talking to.
Outside the slowly advancing carriage, someone suddenly sighed. A normal-looking Overwatch Council official pushed open the carriage door and walked in. Sitting across from Wang Qinian, he said after a moment of silence, "Everyone knows, but no one can stop it. You should know that the Director is doing this for the benefit of the Council. He doesn't want the Qing Kingdom to be shaken. He also doesn't want the Duke to be involved."
"Zong Zhui, you've been following me. Are you afraid I'll go inform Sir Fan junior?" Wang Qinian had no intention of joking. He only looked coldly at his companion across from him and said each word clearly, "If the Director dies, it would be impossible for Sir Fan junior not to get involved. Since it is so, why not make this move earlier? In this world, the only person who can stop what happens in Jingdou is him."
Sitting across from him was Zong Zhui. He and Wang Qinian were known as the two wings of the Overwatch Council. Traveling thousands of li and tracking, he was one of the two most powerful people in the world. He looked at Wang Qinian and calmly said, "Before the Director left, he gave you strict orders to not inform Sir Fan junior."
Wang Qinian suddenly furrowed his brows and said, "I heard that Sir Fan junior has already left Dongyi. Along the way, he was chased by a number of Dongyi rebel soldiers. How did those Dongyi rebel soldiers know the Overwatch Council's return route?"
Zong Zhui didn't reply. Wang Qinian stared at him and said, "It was the old Director who spread the news. He wanted to stop Fan Xian from returning to the capital early. He wanted to end all of this before Fan Xian returned."
Zong Zhui silently agreed to this point.
Wang Qinian slowly lowered his head and said, "It will take some time for Dazhou to return to the capital. If I leave the carriages now and rush to the east of Yanjing to inform Sir Fan junior, he should still have time to return to Jingdou. "
A complicated emotion suddenly rose in Zong Zhui's eyes. "All these years, I've been following the old Director. You've been following Sir Fan junior. The mission the Director gave me was to keep an eye on you." He sighed. "The Director is correct. Those who follow Sir Fan junior for a long time become different from us. They become overly impulsive and don't think about the results."
Then, he said seriously, "I must carry out the Director's orders. I cannot let you drag Sir Fan junior into this."
"You can stop me?" Wang Qinian stared at him and asked.
"The two of us have never had a clear winner, even when you were a civil servant a few years ago." A strange smile rose to Zong Zhui's face.
Immediately after, his smile froze on his face because the hilt of a knife had silently touched his waist, causing half of his body to go numb. Immediately after, Wang Qinian's palm turned into a knife and viciously chopped down on the back of his neck. He didn't even make a grunt before he fell onto the wooden planks of the carriage.
The mute woman hugged her child and looked at this scene with a face full of shock. She was speechless.
Holding the knife tightly, Gao Da opened his eyes and breathed with great difficulty. He then said to Wang Qinian, "Let's go."
Wang Qinian glanced at him and slowly nodded his head. "Sir Fan junior said that living is the most important. I think he is also willing to let the old Director live."
Gao Da coughed and coughed up blood. In a raspy voice, he said, "Time, nonsense."
Wang Qinian gave an ugly smile. Turning around, he pushed aside the curtain of the black carriage and swept out like a gust of wind. The night was dark and heavy. The only person in the world who could catch up to him, Zong Zhui, was unconscious in the carriage. He was going to notify Fan Xian. Presumably, no one would be able to stop him. However, he didn't know if he would make it in time. When Fan Xian learned of everything that had happened in Jingdou and Dazhou and rushed back, would Chen Pingping still be able to sit safely in his wheelchair?
The night was as cold as water and as black as ink. Mixing together, it was like ink in water, transforming into countless shapes of wind and sand that were difficult to grasp.
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…
A number of days later, the riders of the Jingdou Garrison finally rushed back to the outskirts of Jingdou. Because there was a black carriage that could not move very fast, the entire speed was suppressed to a very slow pace. However, no one had any objections. They even felt that the slower they went, the better. The Commander of the Garrison, Shi Fei, had been sitting in the carriage with Chen Pingping like a filial junior. He served Chen Pingping's food and water, daily life, and rest. Usually, he chatted with him about the Qing Kingdom's past and future, the funny political stories in court, or the elusive rumors in the Palace.
It was truly like an old official had been taken back to Jingdou by his successor to retire. However, everyone knew that was not the truth.
It was already autumn. When the Jingdou Garrison, who had "invited" Chen Pingping back, rushed back to Jingdou, they purposely chose the darkest hour before dawn. There was a sliver of white on the eastern horizon, but it was not very bright. It was unable to display the clear autumn sky of Jingdou in front of everyone's eyes. Everyone could only smell the extremely light air, so light that there was a thread of dryness, moving back and forth between their mouths and noses.
Other than the dozen or so injured, the rest of the 3,600 riders surrounded the black carriage and arrived outside Jingdou's Jingyang Gate.
Presumably, along the way, Shi Fei had already reported the situation in Dazhou to the Bureau of Military Affairs or internal court in Jingdou through top secret channels. Thus, when the densely packed riders arrived in front of Jingdou's gates in the dark, the soldiers of the 13 city gate guards at the eastern gate were not shocked at all. They also did not raise any alarm signals that they should not have.
It was quiet above and below the city walls. In the darkness, one could occasionally hear the sound of horses' hooves kicking. The patch of whiteness in the east only shone on the tall walls of Jingdou, making the topmost layer of black bricks give off a somber sound. The bird that had risen the hardest in the morning flew quickly in front of the city walls and let out a joyful cry.
A heavy creak rang out. For once, the Jingdou city gates opened before the hour was up. Under the effect of the mechanism, the heavy city gates opened up a path that could allow a carriage to pass through. It was pitch-black. It was impossible to see clearly what dangers were hidden inside.
The soldiers of the 13 city gate guards stood on the city walls and looked warily and curiously at the city gate. They didn't know what had happened. Why was it that from their immediate superior to the strange appearance of the Jingdou Garrison soldiers outside, it was as if they were facing a great enemy?
All of the handover work was completed in a frightening silence. Under the control of the old servant, the black carriage slowly entered Jingdou's city gates.
Until now, this carriage was still under the control of the old servant of the Overwatch Council. This carriage was still under the control of the old cripple in the carriage. None of the important military officials inside and outside the city dared to forcefully take the position of the driver of the carriage. No one lifted the curtain to verify the identity of the old man inside.
Shi Fei silently watched the carriage enter Jingyang Gate and then slowly close the city gates. He knew his mission had finally been completed. Before he left, he had thought that the Jingdou Garrison would have to sacrifice countless lives to complete his mission. Yet, he had done it so easily. There was nothing else for him to do. Regardless of the Emperor's anger at him not being able to completely complete his mission, Shi Fei did not care. He only stared in a daze at the tightly closed heavy city gates. Countless complicated emotions rose in his heart.
The civil officials of the Qing court all felt disgust toward the Overwatch Council and the old cripple in the Overwatch Council other than fear. They thought that the old cripple was the Emperor's old black dog, a terrifying fellow who bit everyone he met. In the eyes of the major military figures, the Overwatch Council was their most loyal, reliable, and powerful partner. Although they also had boundless fear of Chen Pingping, Shi Fei suddenly felt that this old man, who would rather return to the capital alone than have the Overwatch Council and the military fight a great battle, was worthy of his respect.
He was silent for a long time. He then slowly waved his hand and led the 3,000 Jingdou Garrison soldiers, who all had complicated emotions and had escaped the joy of their lives, slowly away from the heavy city walls and the man-eating city gates.
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The black horse carriage slowly entered Jingyang Gate and the heavy gate slowly closed. A few people slowly approached the carriage. It was currently the darkest time before dawn and the light was extremely dim. It was impossible to clearly see the faces of those people.
The people in charge of waiting outside Jingyang Gate were all top figures in the Qing court. One was Eunuch Yao, who had been sent by the Palace. Another was the Head of the Bureau of Military Affairs, Ye Zhong, who controlled the armies of the world. The last was the traveling scholar of the Hall of Governmental Affairs, He Zongwei. The three of them approached the black carriage. For a moment, no one spoke.
In the end, it was Ye Zhong who spoke. He gazed at the carriage and said in an even voice, "Director, it has been hard on you to return."
Eunuch Yao calmly said, "Director, please follow me into the Palace to see the Emperor."
He Zongwei stood to the side and didn't speak. His face was calm. He maintained the silence he should maintain at this moment.
There was silence in the carriage. After a long time, the old man slowly sighed and warmly said, "A lonely old man returning to the capital has disturbed your peace. I am truly apologetic."
The carriage slowly moved. Under the collective escort of internal court eunuchs and military aces, it moved along the street under Jingyang Gate toward the Royal Palace in the center of Jingdou. It seemed that the Overwatch Council in Jingdou did not know that their ancestor had already returned to Jingdou and was about to face the Emperor's towering anger. Even the officials in court and the Jingdou people with sharp senses did not know of this.
It was a dark dawn. The trees on both sides of the street under Jingyang Gate were like countless boats swaying in the cool autumn wind.
The street led directly to the Royal Palace. There were no pedestrians on either side. Presumably, it had long been purged and was under the highest level of martial law.
It was empty and desolate. Only the black horse carriage was moving forward. It was moving forward in a lonely manner.
It traveled until it reached the front of the brilliant Royal Palace. Coincidentally, the sun finally broke free of the restraints of the earth and leaped out, illuminating the Royal Palace. The fire-like warm golden light just happened to envelop the black carriage.
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