Flame Capital City, Within the palace.
Over twenty masked black figures were staring at a middle-aged man clad in golden armor. Their gazes were cold and without mercy.
Behind the middle-aged man were a few hundred royal guards. However, the royal guards were all lying on the ground and drenched in perspiration.
This was a strange scene.
This was the palace within the Flame Capital City!
Normally, this area was controlled by the royal guards. However, the royal guards did not seem to have the advantage in this situation. Conversely, they seemed to be unable to move at all.
“Bai Qi, is there any point in struggling?” A masked figure with sharp gaze walked forward as he cast his gaze on the middle-aged man clad in golden armor.
Beside the black figure was another one of his comrades, though this figure had a more gentle and feminine gaze.
The two of them looked slightly different from the rest. Their clothing seemed to be a lot more elegant. Clearly, it was made from a higher quality material.
“You recognize me?” The golden armored man struggled to keep himself from fainting and supported himself with one hand on the ground. He perspired profusely though he still managed to stay upright.
“Of course, why would I not recognize the vice-commander of the royal guards?” The masked figure smiled gently though his expression remained stern.
The feminine black figure neither spoke nor utter even a sound.
Same goes for the other masked figures.
“Who exactly are you guys?” Bai Qi’s mouth trembled as he spoke. He seemed extremely weak.
“Aren’t you supposed to be more concerned about what we have done to you?” The masked figure stared at the trembling Bai Qi and asked.
“Hmph! I have no interest in these lowly tactics!” Bai Qi gritted his teeth and muttered.
“Is that so? Then we shall not waste any more time.” The masked figure nodded his head and walked towards Bai Qi one step at a time.
“Tell me. How did you people do it? All the royal guards on shift today were all poisoned. How could you people have known who are the guards on duty?”
“It seems like the vice commander is still slightly curious, am I right?” The masked figure walked as he sneered. A cold-blooded smile appeared on his face.
On the other hand, Bai Qi gritted his teeth and kept silent.
The masked figure stared at Bai Qi and finally stopped in his tracks. He then slowly bent forward and whispered into Bai Qi’s ears.
“What? You guys…” Bai Qi’s eyes widened as his eyes widened in horror, “Good move, but I don’t believe that you can bribe everyone in the kitchen as well as the people in charge of delegating the shifts in the royal guards!”
“Bribe? Haha, that is too troublesome. It would be simpler if we have their family members as hostages!” The masked figure once again lifted his head and laughed.
“You guys… the families of the royal guards are protected by the kingdom. This information could not have been leaked. How did you get them?”
“That is something you don’t have to know!” The masked figure did not wish to continue the conversation any further and lifted his hand, “Vice commander Bai is truly loyal. Even after being poisoned by the lethargy powder, you are still standing in our way. I will send you off quickly!”
“Hmph!” Bai Qi’s eyes widened and stopped talking.
At that moment, another figure appeared right in front of the masked man and blocked his hand which was just inches away from Bai Qi.
The masked figure was startled and immediately looked to his side.
It was the feminine figure that was standing beside him all these while.
“It seems like… someone cannot bear to see this! Alright then, we will keep him alive!” The masked figure’s eyes then glowed before his hand fell onto Bai Qi’s neck.
Smack!
Bai Qi then fainted onto the ground.
Two other black masked figure then stepped forward and brought out a metal chain to secure Bai Qi to a wall, making sure that he would not be able to move even if he woke up.
“Is this alright?” The masked figure then stared at the feminine figure beside him.
The feminine figure did not answer. She merely walked further into the palace, around half of the remaining masked figures immediately followed her footsteps.
The masked figure sniggered before nodding to his followers behind him to catch up with the group in front.
Countless royal guards were down on the ground.
Many of them struggled to lift themselves off the floor. However, fatigue overwhelmed their bodies and they were drenched in perspiration.
The eunuchs and female servants were horrified to see the scene. However, there were also a few of them who were searching for water to give to the royal guards.
At that moment…
Over a thousand black figure also appeared from afar. They moved forward in small groups of hundred and in unison steps. They were also incredibly fast.
“The master orders to kill off all who dares to approach the royal guards!”
“Yes!”
A few black figures sped through the area.
The eunuchs and female servants who were feeding water to the royal guards lost their lives immediately. Their eyes were still wide opened in shock.
But blood was already gushing out from their throats.
“Ah! Murder!”
“Run! There are assassins, fast… catch them quickly!”
“Protect the Emperor!”
A few eunuchs and female servants screamed hysterically as they ran in all directions. However, they could never be faster than the black figures.
All the eunuchs and female servants who even uttered a sound fell dead onto the ground.
Until…
None of the eunuchs and female servants dared to approach the royal guards or even utter a single word. All of them clasped their mouth tightly with their hands with widened eyes and trembling bodies.
At that moment, two masked figures walked forward from afar. One of them had eyes as sharp as an eagle, while another one had a feminine and gentle gaze. Behind this two black figures, there were over twenty other black figures.
All the eunuchs and female servants stared at the new group of black figures in horror as the bowed forward in fear. They kept their bodies on the ground the entire time.
However, the two figures did not even bother with the eunuchs and female servants. They did not even look at the blood on the ground. They merely walked forward, deeper into the palace with every step.
Flame Capital City, Entrance of the Imperial Academy.
Ping Yang kept her gaze on the light coming from the palace as she opened her mouth slightly, looking extremely shocked.
“Third brother, he truly… but how did he get past the royal guards?” Ping Yang seemed to have recollected herself after a while and asked.
“The easiest way is to poison them. Spiking their meals!” Fang Zhengzhi stared at Ping Yang and casually mentioned.
“Spiked?” Ping Yang’s eyes widened and seemed to have remembered something. “If third brother wants to spike the royal guards, it would be a simple task. But in that case, how would father protect himself? Without the royal guards… no, I have to save him!”
Ping Yang said as she prepared to rush back to the palace. However, the moment she moved a step forward, she stopped in her tracks as her pair of clear crystal eyes widened once again.
“City guards?” Ping Yang stared at the city guards who were congregating together from afar. Anyone would be surprised to see this scene.
But quickly…
Ping Yang’s eyes lit up as well.
That’s right, there were the city guards as well! Sixth brother’s city guards!
Ping Yang had hesitated no more. She immediately rushed towards the city guards and ignored Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu.
“Stop right there!” Ping Yang hollered as she stood right in front of the city guards.
“Princess Ping Yang? Your Highness… we have an urgent military mission. May the princess let us pass!” A guard stopped in his tracks as he saw Ping Yang in his way. He did not dare to charge his way through. After all, Ping Yang had quite the reputation in Flame Capital City.
“Stop whatever urgent military matter you have. Return to the palace immediately to protect my father. If anyone disobeys me, they will suffer my wrath!”
“This… Princess Ping Yang, our mission is to seal off the West gate of the palace. As for protecting the Majesty, King Duan and the other city guards are on their way!”
“Hm? You say you are headed towards the West gate?”
“That’s right! Princess Ping Yang, rest assured the Majesty will be saved. With King Duan there, he will never let the Majesty come to any harm. I will be going now!” The city guard then wasted no time and charged forward.
The rest of his team also followed along, charging past Ping Yang.
As for Ping Yang…
She was already dumbfounded and could not react in time as she stared at the city guards rushing past her.
“City guards sealing the west palace gate? Sixth brother is protecting father? This… how did sixth brother know that third brother will…” Ping Yang’s lips muttered and could not wrap her head around it.
Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu reached Ping Yang at that moment. As he stared at the leaving city guards, Fang Zhengzhi frowned.
He knew who the city guards obeyed. There was only one person who could mobilize such a huge team of city guards to seal off the palace gates. That person was none other than King Duan Lin Xinjue.
City guards…
Palace!
Fang Zhengzhi’s eyes widened and sparkled. He seemed to have realized something.
“I see! That is how it is!”
“Have you figured out something? Quick, tell me! What is happening? Why would sixth brother send people to surround the palace and even go into the palace to protect father?” Ping Yang seemed to be awakened from her thoughts upon hearing Fang Zhengzhi’s voice and asked.
“It seems like King Duan had also realized something will be going on tonight!” Yan Xiu’s voice rang instead. At the same time, he frowned, as though he was deep in thought.
“Sixth brother knew as well?” Ping Yang was once again surprised. After which, she shook her head violently and asked, “Why would sixth brother know?”
“This is no longer important. The important thing is that… what is King Duan’s motive for entering the palace?” Fang Zhengzhi waved his hand and interrupted Ping Yang.
“Are you telling me is not to protect father?” Ping Yang stared at Fang Zhengzhi with a puzzled expression.
“Don’t you feel that everything is a set-up?” Fang Zhengzhi did not answer her question directly. Instead, he asked her a thought-provoking question.
“A set-up? What do you mean?” Ping Yang seemed to be confused.
“Think about it. If you could orchestrate this entire thing, would you allow the Crown Prince to usurp the throne while informing King Duan to protect the Emperor?” Fang Zhengzhi hinted.
“This… of course not! Why would I do that? Wouldn’t that mean I have achieved nothing?” Ping Yang replied without hesitation.
“No! They accomplished a lot. In fact, it is orchestrated in a much more sophisticated and unassailable manner than we would have ever imagined. It could be said that it was a perfect plan!” Fang Zhengzhi shook his head and said.
“A perfect and complete plan?” Ping Yang could not seem to understand. How would this become a perfect plan? Where was the sophistication and how could it be unassailable?
“Yes, it is indeed perfect. No matter which side won, he will benefit from the result. However, this plan… there must be something else to follow-up with!” Yan Xiu nodded in agreement as he said.
“What are the both of you talking about? Why can’t I understand? What winner? What follow-up?” Ping Yang blinked her eyes as she stared at Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu with a perplexed expression.
“I cannot explain. I have only understood a small part of the plan up till now. I have not deciphered the details and intricacies of the plan yet,” Yan Xiu shook his head and stared at Fang Zhengzhi, asking, “Have you understood it?”
“Not yet, but almost!” Fang Zhengzhi shook his head as well.
“Why would both of you say that the plan is unassailable if you have not even understood it?” Ping Yang was dissatisfied at Fang Zhengzhi’s and Ping Yang’s words.
“There is something called reaping the benefits at other’s expense, do you understand what that means?” Fang Zhengzhi asked.
“Of course I do. It means to watch both parties conflict and only interrupt when they are already heavily injured to receive the greatest benefits!” Ping Yang replied immediately.
“Hm, you are right, but just a bit off. This plan can refer to more than two parties, and can even go up to four or five parties If needed…” Fang Zhengzhi nodded as he replied.
“Three to five parties?” Ping Yang’s eyes widened in shock.
“Have you heard of a story in the Law of Dao? This was the exact plan the Qin Dynasty used to unify all the countries. Before they attacked a country, they would first promise the other countries great benefits. Following which, they would destroy all the countries at once while they were suspicious and defensive against the others. This was what preceded the Great Qin Dynasty!”
“Yes, of course, I have heard about this. But what has this got to do with what we are dealing with?” Ping Yang stared at Fang Zhengzhi quizzically.
“It is the same plan, except that the people and the situation now are slightly different. However, it is as perfectly executed as it was by the Qin Dynasty. Furthermore, it will never fail!” Fang Zhengzhi took a look at Ping Yang then at the stars on the horizon and continued, “Such a plan would be impossible to foil if we do not understand the full procedure!”
“Impossible to foil?” Ping Yang trembled upon hearing those words.
“Yes, impossible to foil,” Fang Zhengzhi nodded as he said.