The martial artists set out from Beiji City, some heading west, others south. Their speed was so fast that the messenger who was supposed to inform others was caught off guard.
Xia Yi and his group, unaware of the developments, hurriedly returned to Beilong Hall.
Yu Ji was sent to the guest room to recuperate, while the others made some adjustments and waited for further orders. Xia Yi ran to the inner courtyard to find the whereabouts of Yu Chi Feng and Feng Tingliu.
Finally, Xia Yi forcefully pushed open the bedroom door and saw the two changing inside.
Seeing Xia Yi barging in, Feng Tingliu's face darkened instantly. Fortunately, he had already finished changing. He was stretching out his hand to let Yu Chi Feng tie the wrist guard for him.
Xia Yi froze in place and grinned, "Sorry, sorry. I couldn't find Brother Feng, and I got a bit anxious!"
Xia Yi took a closer look and saw that Feng Tingliu not only wore a black martial outfit but also had his ponytail tied high. He had all his protective gear on, looking as if he was about to go to the battlefield.
Yu Chi Feng carefully tied the last strap for Feng Tingliu and gave him a smile, "Young Master, it's done."
"Why is Brother Feng dressed like this?" Xia Yi couldn't help asking.
"A fierce battle is approaching, so we must be more cautious." Feng Tingliu said calmly, then picked up the Fengliu Sword on the side and attached it to his waist.
Now that the Gu worms have been removed, he no longer needs that tobacco pipe, making his waist seem a bit empty.
Seeing this, Yu Chi Feng thought for a moment and gestured with his fingers on it.
"Young Master, what would be good to hang here?" Yu Chi Feng asked.
Feng Tingliu couldn't help laughing and said, "Do you think this is a trip for fun? Naturally, the less we bring, the better."
Yu Chi Feng: "What about the agate I gave the Young Master?"
Feng Tingliu: "Who would carry that thing around for no reason..."
Xia Yi suddenly interrupted, "Agate? I brought it with the luggage as Brother Feng asked me to!"
The two were stunned upon hearing this.
Seeing their expressions, Xia Yi scratched his head, puzzled, "It was clearly Brother Feng who asked me to bring it."
Upon hearing this, Feng Tingliu's neck turned red instantly, and he glared fiercely at Xia Yi.
Yu Chi Feng's smile grew wider, with a hint of smugness in it.
"Young Master brought it? Where did you put it?" Yu Chi Feng pursued.
"Ugh." Feng Tingliu clicked his tongue lightly and pointed to a black lacquered wooden box on the side, "I originally wanted to make a hand grip out of it and play with it when I was bored. But I forgot about it as soon as it was delivered."
Yu Chi Feng was overjoyed. He ran to the wooden box, rummaged through it, and found the red maple leaf agate. He knelt on one knee in front of Feng Tingliu and personally tied the agate maple leaf to Feng Tingliu's waist.
The red maple leaf swayed, making that narrow waist even more prominent.
Yu Chi Feng observed for a moment and was very satisfied. Only then did he stand up and smile at Feng Tingliu, "Perfect."
Feng Tingliu pursed his lips and looked at him. After a while, he turned his head and coughed lightly.
"It's time to set off. Everyone should be halfway there by now."
"Well, okay." Yu Chi Feng smiled, strapped his sword to his back, and picked up Feng Tingliu's bundle.
"Xia Yi, you lead the people who just returned with us to the imperial city for support." Feng Tingliu turned to Xia Yi, the blush on his face fading, and said seriously.
"Yes!"
The people from Liudu City were divided into two teams. One team, led by Qin Qichao, headed northwest to intercept the Evil Cult and the private soldiers. The other team was led by Feng Tingliu and headed for the imperial city.
Yu Chi Feng and Feng Tingliu set off later than the others. After getting ready, they each mounted a fine horse and galloped to catch up with the main force.
-
Inside the imperial city, the atmosphere was tense.
As long as the emperor remained unconscious, the Second Prince could continue to be arrogant.
In the court, the camps were clearly divided, either openly or secretly. Those ministers who did not support the Second Prince were either framed or met with accidents. The ministers dared not speak out or complain. After a while, everyone thought that the next person to sit on the throne would be the Second Prince.
The situation in the court was changing rapidly. For a time, the only military power the current emperor held was the imperial guards! Even the chief eunuch by his side had joined the Second Prince's camp at some point.
Now that the emperor was in a coma, the imperial guards immediately went on high alert and entered the palace.
The imperial guards, led by their commander, guarded around the emperor's bedchamber to prevent any villains from taking the opportunity to harm the emperor. However, no matter how tightly they guarded, it was difficult to prevent the rot from within.
The Second Prince swaggered to the entrance of the bedchamber but was unsurprisingly stopped by the imperial guards.
"Your Highness." The commander of the imperial guards still treated the Second Prince with respect, but his action of stepping forward to stop the prince was also very firm, "If you wish to visit the emperor, please allow us, the imperial guards, to accompany you."
The Second Prince had his hands behind his back, looking rather nonchalant. He curled his lips into a smile.
The chief eunuch followed behind the Second Prince. Seeing this situation, he hurriedly stepped forward, pointed at the commander with a shrill voice and scolded, "How dare you! This is the Second Prince! How dare you stop him!"
The commander of the imperial guards looked at the chief eunuch who usually followed the emperor, his brows furrowed, and said in a deep voice, "I have no intention of stopping Your Highness. It is just that in this situation, I must do this for the emperor's safety."
"You!" The chief eunuch was so angry that he pointed at him with his finger, but the commander remained unmoved.
At this moment, the Second Prince suddenly said, "Forget it."
The chief eunuch was stunned. He snorted at the commander of the imperial guards, then lowered his head and stood back behind the Second Prince.
The Second Prince's mouth curled up in a confident and smug smile, showing no sign of grief or worry for his ailing father. He looked around at the imperial guards and then turned to the commander of the imperial guards, asking, "How is Father's condition now?"
"The emperor is still unconscious, but the imperial physicians say that his condition has improved." The commander of the imperial guards answered truthfully.
"Oh." The Second Prince responded casually and nodded, "Well, then I won't go in to see him. I'll wait until Father's condition improves."
With that, he turned around and left leisurely.
The Second Prince maintained his smile. Instead, the chief eunuch was somewhat anxious. He approached the Second Prince and couldn't stop speaking ill of the commander of the imperial guards.
"This person is really something. He doesn't even listen to Your Highness! I don't know how such a stubborn person became the commander of the imperial guards!"
"Hehe." The Second Prince chuckled and said, "It is precisely because he is stubborn that he was promoted by Father. Such a person is actually the easiest to control..."
The two walked into the winding path of the imperial garden and unexpectedly encountered another group of people coming towards them.
It was the Fifth Prince with his personal guard strolling slowly.
The Second Prince and the Fifth Prince had been competing secretly for a long time. When they met, it was as if sparks flew, and neither was willing to give in.
Compared to the Second Prince's arrogance, the Fifth Prince held a folding fan in his hand, with a gentle smile on his lips, making him look more like an elegant gentleman. He wore gold, silver, jade, and stones on his waist, giving off a somewhat decadent air. He didn't seem like a prince vying for the throne.
The Second Prince sneered at him and said mockingly, "Brother, you really have a great mood. At a time like this, you actually have the leisure to stroll in the imperial garden."
"Brother is joking. I came to visit Father. I presume your purpose is the same as mine?" The Fifth Prince gently shook his folding fan and said with a smile.
"The same? Hmph." The Second Prince laughed mockingly. He looked the Fifth Prince up and down, shook his head, "If my purpose were the same as yours, it would be a big joke! Brother, go ahead. There are many things in the court waiting for me to handle!"
The Second Prince passed by the Fifth Prince with a look of disdain. He had always looked down on this younger brother and did not think that the child of an unpopular dancer could cause much trouble.
The Fifth Prince watched as the Second Prince's figure gradually disappeared. The folding fan in his hand suddenly closed with a crisp sound. The smile on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a strong killing intent. However, the killing intent disappeared in an instant, and he returned to his usual dissipated smile.
"Let's go. Let's go and see the situation first."
"Yes."
When the Fifth Prince arrived at the entrance of the bedchamber, he was also stopped by the commander of the imperial guards. Unlike the Second Prince, the Fifth Prince smiled gently and asked the imperial guards to accompany him inside.
The commander was somewhat surprised but immediately sent someone to follow him inside. Before they entered, he whispered to his subordinate, repeatedly instructing him to keep a close eye on the Fifth Prince's every move. The imperial guard looked at the Fifth Prince and then at his superior, scratching his head and asking, "This Fifth Prince seems harmless and is a good-for-nothing. There's no point in keeping an eye on him, is there?"
The commander gave him a hard slap on the back of his head and glared at him angrily, "At a time like this, how can you judge by appearances? I'll deal with you when you come back!"
The man felt extremely wronged but still obeyed the commander's order and led the Fifth Prince into the bedchamber, even leaving his personal guard outside. However, he still thought that the Fifth Prince was simply here to visit his father. Not only was the Fifth Prince not angry, but he also thanked him. Where could you find such a gentle prince!
Moreover, when the Fifth Prince entered the bedchamber, he did not make any suspicious moves.
He came to his father's bedside and saw that his father was sleeping peacefully, and his complexion had improved. He even sighed in relief.
He turned to the imperial physician and asked about his father's condition. When he learned that his father's condition had slightly improved, he even showed a hint of a smile.
"That's good. Father can also take this opportunity to have a good rest." He said with a gentle smile as he tucked the blanket in for his father.
The imperial physician and the imperial guards were somewhat stunned. In their perception, the Fifth Prince was not favored, and his relationship with the emperor was not particularly good. He had always beenfree (not sure what this word means in this context, possibly 'isolated' or 'marginalized') among the princes. But now, it seemed that this Fifth Prince was extremely filial, in sharp contrast to the other indifferent princes.
Some people even secretly felt sorry for the Fifth Prince, thinking that the emperor should pay more attention to this simple and pitiful child.
After seeing his father, the Fifth Prince followed the imperial guards out of the bedchamber. Along the way, he did not do anything extra and even had his guard give them some rewards.
"Thank you, everyone." The Fifth Prince said with a smile, "Seeing that Father is in good health, I can rest assured."
"Your Highness is too kind. This is what we should do." The commander of the imperial guards did not accept the rewards. Instead, he gave some change to the subordinate who had led the Fifth Prince inside and returned the rest to the Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince smiled, had someone put the money away, and then turned and left.
The Fifth Prince, who knew how to play the fool to gain an advantage, was not simply here to check on his father's condition. Behind the good impression he left on everyone, he had already memorized the positions of the imperial guards in the bedchamber clearly.
He held the folding fan in his hand and suddenly opened it, covering half of his face. When no one was around, he said coldly, "There is no difference from what I imagined."
"The Second Prince came earlier to investigate the situation as well, right?" The guard suddenly asked.
"That's natural." The Fifth Prince nodded, "Presumably, he is already prepared. Let's go back first. There's no need to act hastily."
"I understand. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."
"Correct." The Fifth Prince curved his lips, but his gaze was cold, "Using force to seize the throne is not something only he can do."
-
Outside the imperial city.
The people from Liudu City and Beilong Hall have arrived at their destination and set up camp in a relatively secluded area.
Inside the main tent, Yu Chi Feng, Feng Tingliu, and Priest Yang are gathered together, discussing the upcoming battle.
"Our Huashan Sect has pretended to be honored guests of the imperial court and has entered the imperial city. There are not many of us, only a dozen or so, but each of us is a master. Once the Fifth Prince makes a move, we will enter the palace to counter them." Priest Yang flicked his horsetail whisk, looking rather proud as he spoke.
"As expected of the prestigious sect favored by the emperor." Yu Chi Feng exclaimed.
"That's right. If it weren't for the strict surveillance by the imperial guards now, we would have even wanted to disguise ourselves as alchemists making pills for the emperor to sneak into the bedchamber! But that commander of the imperial guards is a stubborn old man. He definitely wouldn't believe in the art of making pills." Priest Yang shook his head, with a hint of regret.
"This is already enough." Yu Chi Feng drew a circle on the map, marking the location of the emperor's bedchamber inside the palace. Then, he drew a second circle inside the imperial city but outside the palace, "According to intelligence, part of the troops prepared by the Second Prince will attack the imperial city from here. However, we don't need to stop this part of the troops. We need to ensure that the Second Prince initially succeeds in seizing the throne and kills the current emperor."
"You have quite a bold tone." Priest Yang couldn't help teasing.
"This is clearly the arrogance and ambition of the Second Prince." Yu Chi Feng shrugged.
"After the Second Prince succeeds in seizing the throne, the Fifth Prince will immediately lead his troops to take advantage of the situation. Before the rest of the Second Prince's troops occupy the palace, we need to stop all the remaining support. Inside the palace, we will leave it to the Fifth Prince." Yu Chi Feng drew a circle outside the imperial city, forming the final defense line.
"News from the northwest has arrived. Everything is ready to intercept the private soldiers at any time." Feng Tingliu suddenly said, "Although we are well-prepared, there is still an uncontrollable danger."
"What is it?" Yu Chi Feng looked over.
"The whereabouts of the former leader of the Evil Cult are still unknown. We also don't know the purpose of the Evil Cult's cooperation with the Second Prince." Feng Tingliu touched his chin, his brows furrowed.
Yu Chi Feng, however, laughed heartily, "It doesn't matter. We, the people of the martial arts world, don't need to consider as many things as those in the imperial court. We just need to kill anyone who comes."
Feng Tingliu looked at his smiling face and followed with a smile, nodding, "You're right."
Priest Yang's gaze wandered between the two. Suddenly, he felt a bit redundant, so he flicked his horsetail whisk, coughed lightly, "Then I will go to the imperial city to make some preparations. We will act according to the signal flare."
After the meeting, Priest Yang mounted his horse and headed towards the imperial city.
By now, the sun was setting, and the sky was gradually getting dark. Yu Chi Feng and Feng Tingliu were sitting on the outskirts of the camp, looking at the great rivers and mountains in the distance under the setting sun.
"If we can kill the former leader of the Evil Cult this time, it will be a major event off my mind." Feng Tingliu placed the Fengliu Sword on his lap and touched the blade with his fingers, suddenly saying.
"I know. This is the original intention of your establishment of Liudu City." Yu Chi Feng suddenly wrapped his arms around Feng Tingliu's waist, pulling him closer to himself, "He will die. Whether it is this time or the next, we will eventually succeed."
"Once Yanlong Hall participates in this operation, the winner becomes the king, and the loser is the bandit. If the Second Prince fails to seize the throne, Yanlong Hall will also be labeled as rebels." Feng Tingliu continued, "This martial arts world may no longer have the Zhu Xie Society."
"Yes. Now that Hanlong Hall has fallen and Beilong Hall has separated. If Yanlong Hall also ceases to exist, the Seven Dragons will only have four left, and it will completely decline. But the Zhu Xie Society has come to this point because of its own corruption." Yu Chi Feng sighed and suddenly gave a bitter laugh, "I don't even know what stupid things I was doing before. How could I have allied with such people?"
"It's not your fault." Feng Tingliu placed his hand on Yu Chi Feng's hand and said softly.
"If it weren't for the Young Master, I, Yu Chi Feng, would have been blinded for the rest of my life. I wouldn't even know the reason if I were killed."
"You were clearly already killed..." Feng Tingliu said helplessly.
"Then I thank the Young Master for saving me and giving me another chance to see this martial arts world clearly." Yu Chi Feng said, then leaned over and dropped a kiss on the corner of Feng Tingliu's eye.
The setting sun bathed the two in a hazy red glow, as if it were a bloody yet romantic scene.
Feng Tingliu raised his arms, wrapped them around Yu Chi Feng's neck, andinitiative (not sure what this word means in this context, possibly 'initiative' or 'actively')