Chapter 143 - Stand-off
Instead of leaving the palace, Lu Zheng opted for the secret passage located in Zhan Yuanfeng's bedroom, a hidden route he stumbled upon at the age of seven.
When Wu Tie emerged from the secret passage, the war was already raging outside the palace. Despite knowing that Zhan Yuanfeng had his own secret guards and a well-trained imperial guard, Wu Tie couldn't help but feel some concern.
Zhan Yuanfeng was the heir to the throne that Lu Zheng had identified many years ago. If it had been the Fourth Prince, Prince Ruiqing, Lu Zheng wasn't sure if he would have been willing to submit to his authority.
“Master, please look,” a voice called out. “There's a fire in the direction of the palace.”
Lu Zheng didn't need any reminders to notice the light in the north. He handed his wooden token to one of his subordinates and instructed, “Take this to Vice General Song and instruct him to lead our forces into the city!”
The subordinate understood that Lu Zheng was taking command of the capital's army. Compared to the complex capital forces, his own troops were easier to mobilize.
“Understood.”
“Do you remember the tunnel we just used to exit?”
Typically, the subordinate might have forgotten to respond, but in this crucial moment, he comprehended Lu Zheng's intent and nodded.
“Indeed. Have Soong Hanlin select a thousand elite soldiers. Take those thousand men with you and enter the tunnel.”
“But, Master, will this not concern the Emperor…?”
“Time is of the essence. I will explain it to the Emperor later.”
“Very well.”
After their departure, Lu Zheng led the remainder of his guards to the capital's military camp. Lacking horses, the group could only engage in swift maneuvers. Their speed was nearly as fast as that of horses, but it consumed more energy.
The base camp, along with Lu Zheng's National Guard Army, occupied a valley on the outskirts of the capital.
Prior to Lu Zheng and his group's approach, the guard responsible for the door's security raised an alarm, asking, “Who are you?”
Lu Zheng gestured, and one of his guards stepped forward, shouting, “Quickly, open the door! Prince Ruiqing has rebelled! His Majesty has commanded the capital's military camp to enter the city and rescue the emperor!”
The door guard was merely a low-ranking soldier. He was completely stunned upon hearing such shocking news. It was only after Lu Zheng's guard prodded him that he finally reacted.
However, even though he regained his senses, he hesitated to open the door. Instead, he scrutinized the group of individuals before him with suspicion.
“Hurry and inform your commanding officer! Even a slight delay in our rescue mission could cost ten lives!”
Lu Zheng furrowed his brow. He found Lu Li to be slow, so he leaped onto the camp's wall.
Entering a military camp was no easy task, even for someone with unparalleled martial skills. However, as soon as he set foot on the camp's high walls, none of the aimed arrows dared to be released.
“Duke Zhen?” Someone exclaimed, and a minor leader quickly instructed his subordinates to report to him.
Lu Zheng produced his military seal, channeled his inner strength, and shouted, “The military seal is here, where is General Mo?” His voice reverberated through the valley much faster than a messenger boy.
In just a moment, General Mo, dressed in military attire, led a group of soldiers and hurried over, saying, “General Mo Chengzhong pays respects to Duke Zhen!”
“Prince Ruiqing is plotting against us. At this very moment, he is mobilizing the Nine Guards of the capital to besiege the Imperial Palace. He also controls all four city gates in the capital. All of you must follow me into the city to save the emperor!”
Mo Chengzhong hesitated briefly and asked, “Does Duke Zhen have any evidence?”
Lu Zheng remained composed and responded with a cold laugh, saying, “The military seal is here; what further evidence do you need? Could it be that General Mo is also a traitor?”
Mo Chengzhong's expression changed, and he answered with a strained voice, “This humble general dares not!”
In a split second, he had assessed the situation. Since Master Lu personally arrived with a military seal, the situation must be urgent. Additionally, with ten thousand troops from the National Protector Army, Prince Ruiqing might not stand a chance.
Prince Ruiqing had indeed previously tried to persuade him to accept Duke Zhen's authority. However, he was not one to be swayed by power.
While he had not agreed to join, he had intended to be a spectator. After the palace battle concluded, as long as he remained loyal to the one on the imperial throne, he would be fine.
All in all, he had not anticipated that Master Lu would personally take charge of the capital's camp. At this moment, he regretted his momentary hesitation.
“Convey the imperial decree; I will assume command of the capital's military camp and detain General Mo temporarily!”
“Master Lu, on what grounds are you detaining him?” Mo Chengzhong's eyes widened in astonishment. However, Lu Zheng did not have the time to argue with him. He handed over the military talisman and had one of his subordinates immobilize him, tossing the talisman aside.
“Who else wants to defy the decree?”
Mo Chengzhong's loyal subordinates were all enticed, but the figure before them was none other than Master Lu, renowned as the God of War. They aspired to become Master Lu's soldiers even in their wildest dreams.
Lu Zheng added fuel to the fire, saying, “If we don't take action now, when will we ever reap the benefits?”
Consequently, those few wavering loyal subordinates turned to Mo Chengzhong with apologetic expressions.
“Time is of the essence. I'll give you fifteen minutes. Assemble your troops!”
“Yes, sir!” This response resounded loudly and clearly, startling countless birds. The excitement among the group was palpable.
Zuo Shaoqing was awakened by the carriage ride. As he opened his eyes, he realized his hands and feet were bound, contorting his body like a shrimp.
Closing his eyes for a moment, he confirmed that he was alone in the carriage. Upon inspecting his legs, he discovered the dagger concealed in his boot remained untouched.
It seemed these individuals assumed him to be a scholar and were not particularly vigilant.
The carriage came to a halt just as Zuo Shaoqing managed to retrieve the dagger with some difficulty. Swiftly, he concealed it in his sleeves.
He had expected to be forcibly removed from the carriage, but before he could identify who it was, he heard a commotion outside.
“No!” “This is the person Fifth Princess desires. How can I allow you to take him?”
“Your highness will surely inform Fifth Princess about this; we are merely following orders! Apologies!”
“You…” “Ah…”
Zuo Shaoqing discerned a few distressing screams. From their previous words, he could deduce that these were troops from two different factions. Somehow, they had started fighting amongst themselves.
Without waiting for him to comprehend the situation, the carriage door swung open, and two black-clad men dragged him out. They swiftly ushered him into the nearby alley.
As Zuo Shaoqing stepped out of the car and saw the lifeless bodies on the ground, he couldn't help but feel that these individuals were ruthless and heartless. He began to wonder whether he would survive long enough for someone to come to his rescue.
Shortly after Zuo Shaoqing was forcibly taken away by these people, Yinyi arrived at the scene accompanied by the concealed guards from Duke Zhen's residence. Seeing the empty carriage and the deceased guards strewn about, he kicked the carriage in anger.
“Chief, these must be the guards assigned to Fifth Princess's entourage. I recognize a few of them.”
The late emperor held his daughter in high regard, evident from the fact that she had been granted the imperial bodyguards, a privilege usually reserved for princes. Among the princesses, only Fifth Princess had received this honor.
“He hasn't been gone for long.” Yinyi assessed the corpse's temperature and gave orders, “Head to the city gate. The thief is likely attempting to use Third Master Zuo as leverage against Master Lu.”
Below the city gates, Soong Hanlin led ten thousand soldiers from the National Protector's Army and the Nine Guards of the capital, facing off against each other.
Prince Ruiqing wasn't lacking in intelligence. He knew that the ten thousand Janissary Guards within the palace posed little threat. As long as he dealt with the twenty thousand troops stationed outside the city, he could potentially seize control of the palace.
Consequently, he had deployed over half of his forces here. Beyond the palace, he had only allowed his men to surround and set fire to the walls, preventing anyone inside from exiting.
Prince Ruiqing stood atop the wall, surveying the scene, and asked, “Where is Lu Zheng?”
Soong Hanlin sneered and raised his voice, “Well, well, if it isn't the renowned Fourth Prince of Great Yang? I never thought you'd have the audacity to plot against me, using a pen as your weapon!”
Prince Ruiqing chuckled, his gentle countenance taking on a hint of madness. “General Song, you are also a celebrated commander in Great Yang, yet you've been suppressed by that brat Lu Zheng. Don't you desire a chance for survival?”
“Hah, you think you can scheme against me?” Old Song, as I'm known, isn't someone you can deal with so easily!”
Soong Hanlin sat atop his horse, holding the reins in one hand and a five-foot-long saber in the other. He pointed toward the wall and scolded, “You fools, have you lost your minds? What future does he offer by rebelling against a virtually powerless prince? Think about your own lives and, more importantly, your families.”
Not all members of the Nine Guards of the capital were of noble descent. Some soldiers were following orders without fully comprehending the situation. Soong Hanlin's berating caused their sword hands to waver.
“I understand that you're just following orders. In the past, Xu Zhaoguang believed himself to be a man, but he's done something so heinous. He's led tens of thousands like you to their deaths. Why would you continue to obey him?”
Prince Ruiqing grew infuriated. “Silence! Once I ascend the throne, every member of the Nine Guards will be handsomely rewarded. Becoming a soldier will be as prestigious as becoming an official!”
“Hah, your words are moving, but even if you rebel, so what? So what if you win tonight? Do you think our hundred thousand-strong army is weak?”
As soon as Soong Hanlin uttered these words, the ten thousand soldiers below shouted in unison, “The National Guard is invincible!”
These battle-hardened soldiers, who had experienced combat on numerous occasions, were far superior to the Nine Guards of the capital. Their imposing presence caused many to waver.
“If you're headed toward certain death, do you still wish to seek it out willingly? Open the city gates immediately!”
“Who dares?” A resounding voice echoed as a tall, upright figure appeared on the wall. It was none other than Xu Zhaogang, the commander of the Nine Guards.
The sound of approaching hoofbeats could be heard in the distance. Soong Hanlin laughed heartily and said, “Prince Ruiqing, you were eager to meet my master, weren't you? Hasn't he arrived yet?”
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