Chapter 1 Welcome, [][] or [] Night

The Imperial Guards hurriedly retreated. After two or three minutes, a middle-aged man in a red official robe crossed the threshold and strode in.

This man was about fifty years old, with a handsome, flowing beard. His face was thin and unsmiling, and his eyes were deep and serious, as if hiding a sea of scheming and majesty.

Deng Wenhan, courtesy name Jinglun, was the younger brother of Empress Dowager Deng and the maternal uncle of Zhao Shun. He held the first-rank position of Grand Scholar of the Hongtu Hall, in charge of the central government, and was the most powerful official in the Southern Dynasty.

This dignified and reserved middle-aged power broker glanced at the dancing girls in the hall and frowned slightly, coldly saying, "Leave!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it made the dancing girls in the hall scatter like frightened birds. They lowered their heads, retreated to the sides, and were so frightened that they held their breath.

Zhang Yuanqing maintained his lazy posture and called out loudly, "Prime Minister Zheng is here! Someone, set up a table and wine for Prime Minister Zheng."

Deng Wenhan's face was stern as he coldly said, "Your Majesty, you have just been assassinated, and Longtu died to protect you. Longtu gave his life to ensure your safety, yet you are singing and dancing in the hall, drinking and making merry. How can this not chill the hearts of your subjects?"

Zhang Yuanqing picked up his wine cup and drank deeply, displeased. "Under the heavens, is there any land that is not the king's? Within the realm, is there any subject that is not the king's? Zheng Longtu was loyal to the royal family, loyal to the Southern Dynasty. He died for me, and his death was well worth it."

He acted as if he was the Son of Heaven, and dying for him was only right and proper. Hong Ji-ge and Jiang Jingwei, putting themselves in Zheng Wenhan's position, felt their fists clench.

Zheng Wenhan's eyes flashed sharply. He knew Zhao Shun's character well. He took a deep breath, restrained the sternness in his eyes, and said in a low voice, "There are assassins lurking in the palace to harm Your Majesty. It was Longtu's dereliction of duty. He died as a result, which is only natural. Now that the assassins have not yet been caught, Your Majesty must not be careless."

"Tell me in detail what happened last night after Longtu led you to hide in the side hall."

His tone was more of an order and lacked any respect. Zhang Yuanqing, while still sitting casually, was actually secretly tensing his nerves, putting on an impatient expression and saying, "Prime Minister Zheng is so boring, disturbing my refined pleasure."

"Last night, Commander Zheng led me to hide in the side hall. Before long, it started raining through the roof, and a black-clothed assassin appeared. Commander Zheng took the initiative to intercept the assassin to protect me, but who knew that the assassin was incredibly powerful and turned Commander Zheng into a dried corpse with a single move."

"I rushed out of the side hall for help, and when I turned back, I only saw Commander Zheng's corpse."

Zheng Wenhan narrowed his eyes. "I heard from the Imperial Guards that you and Longtu were in the side hall for a full quarter of an hour, but the assassin killed Longtu with a single move. What did Longtu say to Your Majesty before the assassin appeared?"

Tsk, it's starting to get real.

If this performance isn't good, there will be a large-scale assassin attack tonight. Zhang Yuanqing had expected this moment. From Zheng Wenhan's perspective, the assassin killed his son Zheng Longtu in an instant, but Zheng Longtu and the emperor stayed in the side hall for a full quarter of an hour. During this time, Zheng Longtu, who already intended to rebel, had plenty of time to cause trouble and might have already exposed the Zheng family's ambitions.

Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced, but on the surface, he remained lazy. "My three beauties all tried to assassinate me, and I was very angry. I scolded Commander Zheng in the side hall. Commander Zheng then asked for some information about the assassins."

Of the three beauties, only Consort Wan was an informant arranged by the Zheng family. The other two were not. It was very reasonable for Zheng Longtu to ask about the details of the assassins.

Zheng Wenhan showed a contemplative look. Through emotional feedback, Zhang Yuanqing knew that the cunning and experienced power broker didn't believe him. Sure enough, he heard him ask, "Does Your Majesty know the origins of the three assassins?"

Zhang Yuanqing frowned as if recalling. "Consort Chu was the first to assassinate me. She said something about avenging the dead soldiers. Singer Wang said she wanted to eliminate me, this incompetent ruler, for the sake of the people of the world. Prime Minister Zheng, you tell me, am I an incompetent ruler?"

Avenging the dead soldiers… Zheng Wenhan seemed to have thought of something, and his pupils shrank slightly. He pondered for a few seconds, not answering Zhang Yuanqing's words, and asked again, "Did Consort Wan say anything?"

Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "Consort Wan didn't say anything. She just came up and started attacking, almost stabbing me to death. Humph, that bitch! I favored her so much, yet she wanted to plot against me. I want to execute her entire clan."

Zheng Wenhan's expression didn't change, but Zhang Yuanqing clearly sensed a sense of relief from his emotions.

Apparently, Zheng Wenhan believed his words, believing that Zheng Longtu was gathering intelligence during that quarter of an hour.

And Consort Wan, who was arranged by the Zheng family, hadn't been exposed. Suddenly, Zheng Wenhan asked, "I found a pill in the side hall. What is this? Did the assassin leave it behind?"

Zhang Yuanqing had been waiting for him to ask this. He said in surprise,

"A pill? What pill? Oh, I remember, that was the antidote pill that Commander Zheng gave me. It can cure all poisons, so I wouldn't have to fear insect bites."

This was misleading Zheng Wenhan, making him think that Zheng Longtu wanted to trick the emperor into taking a poison pill. Anyway, Zheng Longtu was already dead, and there was no way to verify it.

Noticing that Zheng Wenhan's emotions had completely calmed down, Zhang Yuanqing impatiently said, "Prime Minister Zheng, if there's nothing else, please leave. Don't disturb my refined pleasure!"

Zheng Wenhan hesitated for a moment, cupped his fist, bowed, turned around, and left. As he crossed the threshold, he heard Zhao Shun's loud laughter behind him, shouting,

"Beauties, continue the music, continue the dance!"

A good-for-nothing! He sneered inwardly.

Dusk.

Hong Ji-ge, who had been running around outside for half a day, returned to the Xia Palace, while Consort De and Madam Ya came to the Xia Palace under the pretext of "serving the emperor". The group closed the hall doors, drew the curtains, and conspired in the depths of the imperial bedchamber.

"The details of the Shenrui Army have been investigated. They are indeed an army of the Southern Dynasty, but they were completely annihilated sixteen years ago," said Hong Ji-ge.

Zhang Yuanqing, sitting cross-legged on the soft couch, smelled an unusual aura. Being completely annihilated shouldn't lead to transferring hatred to the emperor.

"There is indeed a reason!" Hong Ji-ge pulled over a small stool and sat down. "A year ago, the Northern Dynasty gathered an army of 100,000 and launched a southern expedition. Just like now, they swept through everything, capturing cities and fortresses. In just three months, they pushed their forces to within a hundred miles of the Southern Dynasty's capital. At that time, Empress Dowager Zheng was still ruling from behind the curtain. In a fit of anger, this Empress Dowager dismissed more than a dozen officials from the Ministry of War and posted notices in various counties and prefectures, allowing local magnates to recruit troops and buy horses, and even allowing the common people to resist on their own!"

"As soon as this decree was issued, those wealthy gentry began to recruit and train troops in order to protect themselves, or invested in loyal and righteous people to resist the invasion of the Northern Dynasty. Countless displaced people who had lost their homes responded to the call. Among them, a man named Wu Xin rose to prominence in this background, forming a Shenrui Army."

"This Wu Xin was the descendant of a famous general. Three scholars and two military generals had emerged from his clan. By his generation, the family had declined, but the family's knowledge was still there. This man was skilled in managing the army and used his troops like a god. In the early stages, he accepted donations from local magnates, and later surrendered to the Southern Dynasty and received financial support from the court. In just four years, he drove the Northern Dynasty back to the Northern Border."

"The 100,000-strong army was defeated miserably. At that time, most of the elite troops of the Northern Dynasty had been lost on the battlefield. Wu Xin wanted to lead his troops north and wipe out the Northern Dynasty in one fell swoop, ending the hundred-year-long war between the North and South Dynasties. But the imperial court ordered him to withdraw his troops…"

Speaking of this, Hong Ji-ge patted his thigh regretfully. "I thought this kind of infuriating scene would only appear in TV dramas, but I didn't expect it to be in the instance as well."

"The imperial court was either worried that Wu Xin would become independent with his army and establish himself as king, or the national treasury was empty and desperately needed to recuperate."

Zhang Yuanqing interjected, "Continue."

"The imperial court issued twelve imperial edicts in a row, ordering Wu Xin to return to the court, but Wu Xin defied the decree and continued the Northern Expedition. The imperial court then cut off his supplies. As I said earlier, Wu Xin was skilled in managing the army and would never rob the common people. Without money or food, he couldn't continue the Northern Expedition. But he was unwilling to withdraw his troops, so he led a personal army back to the court, hoping to persuade the court to support his Northern Expedition." Hong Ji-ge sighed.

"As a result, he died in the capital. The reason given by the imperial court was that he died of illness. His personal army didn't believe it and gathered to make trouble. Most of them were beheaded, some were dismissed, and some were imprisoned."

"The main force that remained in the Northern Border was ambushed by the Northern Dynasty's army not long after. The elite troops were either completely annihilated or scattered."

"That's so cultured, like listening to a story!" Jiang Jingwei was taken aback. There were also some fire masters who were well-read and cultured.

Hong Ji-ge honestly said, "The officials of the Ministry of War told me all this. I'm just relaying it."

"So, I'm being hated because of association." Zhang Yuanqing sighed, pretending to wipe away tears. "I was only eight or nine years old back then. What does this have to do with me!"

"That was the Empress Dowager's fault!"

"You're still acting like the Empress Dowager," Consort De (Aunt) glared at him and analyzed. "The Shenrui Army has lost its elite troops and has no ability to enter the palace and assassinate the new emperor. His ascension to the throne and his lust for beauty gave them an opportunity. In that case, the Shenrui Army's combat power is at most Saint level. There won't be any Sovereigns. Enduring 72 hours is nothing to worry about."

"That's not right!"

Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "The plotline is so rich and seems to be crying out for justice. Based on my many experiences in high-difficulty instances, the Shenrui Army's side storyline won't be that simple. This is a Sovereign-level A-rank instance. One of the main enemy forces. Is their combat power only at the Saint level? That's not very realistic."

"Then what do you want to do?" Hong Ji-ge and Jiang Jingwei asked in unison.

With these two spokespersons, Xie Lingxi and the others didn't have to ask Zhang Yuanqing again.

Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds. "Consort Wan has been following the Empress Dowager since she was a child. She is a trained assassin personally cultivated by the Empress Dowager. She should know many of the Empress Dowager's secrets. She's also much older than me. She should have known what was going on when the Shenrui Army was dealt with."

He looked at his teammates and said, "Today, I successfully concealed the truth from Zheng Wenhan and just experienced an assassination attempt. Tonight should be safe. We'll discuss leaving the city tomorrow. After dinner, Li Changshi, you go and summon Consort Wan to serve me."

The Shenrui Army's plotline will be difficult to investigate once we leave the palace. Hong Ji-ge bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

After having dinner at the Xia Palace, the sky had already turned dark, and the lanterns were lit. Hong Ji-ge led Xie Lingxi and Jiang Jingwei, two "palace maids," out of the imperial bedchamber, walking through the magnificent buildings that resembled a fairyland.

As Hong Ji-ge walked, he suddenly said, "Where's Guan Ya? Where's Guan Ya? She's also a swordswoman. Could she be in the army? I haven't seen Sun Miaomiao either!"

Xie Lingxi scrutinized Hong Ji-ge. "Why are you so concerned about Yuan Shi-ge's girlfriend? You've mentioned Guan Ya several times today?"

Hong Ji-ge scoffed. "Here, everyone is a woman. Jingwei is not very smart, you and the Queen have too little experience in high-difficulty instances, Xiao Yuan is a silent gourd, and Palace Master Zhisha has a weird personality. Damn it, I don't feel safe at all."

"It would be great if Sun Miaomiao and Guan Ya were here. But Yuan Shi's poem has been circulating for so long, and they haven't come running over!"

Jingwei retorted, "My dad said I'm the smartest in the family!"

"Is your mother a fire master?" Xie Lingxi asked.

Jingwei shook her head!

"This shows that your dad is a scum!" Xie Lingxi commented.

Jingwei was confused. "Why?"

"Because in your dad's heart, your mom isn't family." Xie Lingxi said.

Jingwei didn't speak, walking forward in silence. A few seconds later, she and Hong Ji-ge reacted at the same time and angrily said, "You dare to mock us fire masters!"

Inside the imperial bedchamber, Consort Wan looked at Consort De on the left, then at Madam Ya on the right, and finally at Zhang Yuanqing's robust figure, giving an elegant imperial consort salute.

"Your Majesty, your concubine has come to serve you!"

Zhang Yuanqing said amiably, "Consort Wan is here. Quickly, give her a seat."

Hong Ji-ge carried in a small stool.

Zhang Yuanqing kicked him away, and Hong Ji-ge ran outside and brought in a wooden carved chair weighing more than twenty kilograms.

Zhang Yuanqing said amiably, "Consort Wan, please sit! Consort Wan, have you heard of the Shenrui Army?"

Consort Wan once again looked at Consort De on the left and then at Madam Ya on the right.

Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Just speak your mind. The three beauties are my one true love. I wish I could dote on them every day."

Xiao Yuan and the Palace Master smiled coldly.

Does your girlfriend Guan Ya agree with what you're saying? Hong Ji-ge couldn't help but complain!

"Why does Your Majesty suddenly ask about the Shenrui Army…" Consort Wan, whose figure was like a small mountain of flesh, asked, "I have already investigated. Consort Chu is an assassin arranged by the Shenrui Army to enter the palace."

Zhang Yuanqing didn't hide anything.

Consort Wan suddenly understood. "So that's how it is. The Shenrui Army wants to take revenge on the Empress Dowager, but the Empress Dowager lives deep within the palace, so they have no opportunity. Therefore, they have made Your Majesty their target."

Part of the reason is also that Zhao Shun is too incompetent, and killing him would benefit the country and the people, Zhang Yuanqing thought. Consort Wan's answer told him that this trained assassin did know some secrets.

"The Shenrui Army has always been a thorn in the Empress Dowager's side for many years. Since Your Majesty asked about it, I will speak frankly!"

Just as Consort Wan said this, her expression suddenly changed, and she abruptly turned her head to look outside the hall!

Almost simultaneously, Zhang Yuanqing, the Palace Master, Xiao Yuan, Hong Ji-ge, and the three beauties all turned their gazes towards the outside of the hall.

In the dark night.

Heavy and orderly footsteps were rapidly approaching. A large number of people were heading towards the imperial bedchamber.