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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 194: Change at Jiangdu Palace
On a day filled with rain and fog, as dusk approached, the Valiant Fruit Army led all the Horse Evaluators out of their stables and sharpened their weapons until they gleamed, preparing for the night ahead.
Assassinating the emperor and changing the dynasty was no easy task. Yuwen Huaji ordered Yuan Li and Pei Qiantong, who were in charge of the palace guards, to keep a close watch at the palace gates, allowing no one to see the emperor.
The city gates were left ajar as agreed, without being bolted, ensuring that they would not miss their opportunity due to the gates.
The leaders of the Imperial Guards were invited by Yuwen Huaji to his residence for a feast, which lasted until the dead of night. It was only then that Yuwen Huaji revealed his intentions.
Instantly, the already drunken guests were startled into sobriety. Some thought he was joking, while others fled in an attempt to report Yuwen Huaji, but they were swiftly dealt with by the executioners outside.
Although the leaders of the Imperial Guards were quite brave, how could they carry weapons when drinking at their superior's residence? Without horses, armor, or weapons, even a thousand men could not withstand a sudden onslaught of blades.
After some had died, the smell of blood fully awakened everyone, and they trembled as they said, "We are willing to follow you, General."
Yuwen Huaji showed no sign of triumph; instead, fear was evident on his face. He couldn't dare to think about what would happen if things went wrong; he only considered what to do if they failed.
Some leaders who genuinely wanted to follow Yuwen Huaji hesitated upon seeing his demeanor. Could this person really succeed?
At that moment, Yuwen Shiji suddenly burst in wearing only a thin garment and pointed at his elder brother, saying, "What do you intend to do?"
Yuwen Huaji stammered and could not bear to explain the situation regarding the Guardians. After hearing it all, Yuwen Shiji slammed his leg in anger and rebuked him: "How can you forget how much honor His Majesty has bestowed upon our family? Others may rebel without consequence, but under what name can we act? Even if we succeed by chance, we cannot escape condemnation from the world. This act of regicide will be the source of our family's destruction. Brother, do not be foolish!"
For the first time, Yuwen Huaji felt that his younger brother was right. However, he was not in control; he was merely being coerced into rebellion by those below him and could only helplessly say, "Er Lang has already led the Valiant Fruit Army into action; it's too late for regrets."
The steward immediately stated, "With that foolish emperor's temperament, since you have attended this banquet tonight, you are already guilty of death. Why not take a chance for glory?"
Yuwen Shiji pointed at the steward and said, "You wretched servant! For your own wealth and power, you dare to coerce our family!"
The steward, who usually bowed and scraped before him in the past, ignored him this time and continued to incite the leaders. If one person ascended to power, even their dogs would rise; he too did not want his descendants to be slaves.
Yuwen Shiji suddenly understood why his usually timid elder brother dared to plot rebellion.
The two brothers exchanged glances. Yuwen Huaji pointed at him and said, "If you are unwilling, then get out! You are no longer part of the Yuwen Family. Someone throw him out of Jiangdu City!"
Yuwen Shiji naturally understood this security measure, and he was surprised that his elder brother was capable of such actions.
The retainer stepped forward to remove Yuwen Shiji's clothing and directly dragged him to the City Gate Tower, using a basket to send him down without providing an extra piece of clothing.
At this moment, the Valiant Fruit Army in the east of the city also raised torches and weapons, beginning their advance toward the emperor's palace. Anyone daring to obstruct them along the way was immediately turned into a corpse lying by the roadside.
Although it was nighttime, the commotion caused by tens of thousands of troops was indeed significant. However, the vast majority of citizens and officials simply closed their doors tightly, not daring to go out to inquire about the situation, let alone report to the emperor.
Of course, they did not need to; within the palace, there were still quite a few loyal guards to the emperor. They hurriedly relayed the news to His Majesty's chambers but were stopped by General Pei Qiantong on duty.
The emperor, who had been restless in his sleep, was awakened by the noise and called for Pei Qiantong, asking, "What is all this commotion outside?"
Pei Qiantong reassured the emperor: "Your Majesty, it is the Grass Workshop that is on fire. The soldiers are putting it out, which is why it is noisy. You need not worry."
Pei Qiantong had followed the emperor since his days at Jin Wangfu; otherwise, he would not have been stationed outside the royal chambers at night, so the emperor did not suspect anything.
At this time, others might still be able to remain indifferent, but Crown Prince Yan Yang Tan could not do so. He immediately sensed that someone was rebelling. Regardless of whether his grandfather knew about it or not, he needed to enter the palace.
Thus, he led his Qian Niu Bei Shen Yu Wen Xiao and fifty Guardians out of his residence. However, fighting had already begun in the palace, making it impossible to enter through conventional means.
Taking advantage of the night, he stealthily climbed in through the Drainage Outlet next to Fanglin Gate on the north side of the palace and made his way past Xuanwu Gate to report to his grandfather's chambers.
However, that Drainage Outlet was narrow, and most of the guards were large and muscular; only the still-growing Yan Wang and a few smaller Imperial Guards could fit through.
Yang Tan knew he could not hesitate at this moment and resolutely crawled inside, disregarding his dirty clothes as he rushed toward Xuanwu Gate. But that gate had long been taken over by the rebels.
Faced with the disheveled Yan Wang rushing in, the guard coldly laughed and drew his long knife, demanding, "Who dares to intrude upon the palace at night?"
Yang Tan frequently moved around within the palace; how could any guard fail to recognize him? They should not have drawn their weapons against him in anger.
The cold and unhesitating killing intent made the Crown Prince, who had been raised in comfort since childhood, feel somewhat uncomfortable. His heart raced from running as if it were about to burst from his chest.
"I... I am Yan Wang. I wish to enter the palace to see Grandfather. Please announce me immediately."
The general did not sheathe his sword but instead slowly advanced with his troops. "Your Highness Yan Wang should not disturb His Majesty's rest at this moment. Is there something urgent?"
Yang Tan sensed that something was wrong. "I have suffered a stroke, and my life hangs by a thread. I request an audience with His Majesty."
Hearing the incredibly noble Crown Prince utter such a foolish lie, the other generals burst into laughter. The guards beside Yan Wang knew that there was no way out, and they pulled Yang Tan to flee, while others charged at them with swords.
However, they were quickly subdued, and Yang Tan was captured and imprisoned before he could escape far. It was uncertain what General Yuwen intended; if he needed to pass on the throne, then having Yan Wang alive would still be useful.
If he was no longer needed, it would simply be a matter of finishing him off, which would not require much effort and would be easier than trying to save him again.
At this moment, another person was fighting for the emperor: Pei Yun, one of the five nobles from years past. He had learned about the events of the night from Zhang Huishao of Jiangdu Ling, but he knew that informing the emperor at this point would be futile. They needed to let the army outside the city enter to protect him in order to resolve the situation with the Valiant Fruit Army and the Imperial Guards.
To mobilize the army required a royal decree, and without access to the emperor, they could only forge one. However, a poorly forged decree would not command the troops outside the city and could easily lead to disaster.
They still needed to follow proper procedures and find Yu Shiji, the Minister of Internal Affairs, who was responsible for drafting and issuing royal decrees. Only with his help and their two confidants could they hope to mobilize the army.
………
(End of Chapter)
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