Chapter 1400: Old Friend

The letter reached Shao Pingbo.

Inside his study, he sat beside the desk and stared at it for a long time without speaking.

Shao Sansheng tentatively reminded him, "Is Jia Wuqun setting his sights on Young Lady Liuer?"

Even Shao Sansheng could see it. How could Shao Pingbo fail to?

"He deliberately emphasized that the Ghost Doctor cares about his disciple Wuxin. Isn't that simply reminding me to act through Wuxin? And Wuxin cares about Liuer."

Shao Sansheng sighed. "That tongueless Jia really does have a clear grasp of the situation. Control Young Lady Liuer, and you control Wuxin. Control Wuxin, and perhaps you can influence the Ghost Doctor. But this is no small matter. To move against Yuan Se's confidante—would the Ghost Doctor dare?"

"How would I know?" Shao Pingbo said. "I know almost nothing about Yuan Se."

Shao Sansheng was puzzled. "If that tongueless Jia already knows how it should be done, why borrow Eldest Young Master's hand?"

Shao Pingbo said, "Because Liuer is my younger sister. He's telling me to decide how to handle it. If I don't act, then he will. And once he moves against Liuer himself, there is no telling how heavy or light his hand will be. But if I do act, I'll only sink deeper and deeper. First Lan Daolin, now Yuan Se..."

Shao Sansheng sighed again. "What use is there in moving against Yuan Se's confidante?"

"Nothing beyond framing, alienating, or sowing discord," Shao Pingbo said. "Either they want to create trouble on Yuan Se's side, or they intend to use Consort Yuan for something. It cannot be much beyond those possibilities."

He rose. "I need to see Lan Ming and ask him about Yuan Se and Consort Yuan."

Shao Sansheng nodded. "This old servant will arrange it immediately."

Shao Pingbo added, "And Gu Yuanda's rebels are about to attack the Qi capital. Keep a closer watch on Liuer's situation."

"Eldest Young Master can rest assured," Shao Sansheng said. "This old servant specifically spoke to Blackwater Terrace and asked them to avoid accidentally harming Young Lady."

...

The rebel army finally reached the city and launched a ferocious assault.

Everyone throughout the Qi capital was terrified. All able-bodied men had been organized to assist with the defense.

The Qi capital's fortifications had been built to protect the capital of an entire state. Its walls were thick and high, exceptionally difficult to storm. With preparations already made in advance against the rebels, one hundred thousand troops defending the city, and Qi's Three Great Sects personally helping hold it, repeated rebel assaults failed to shake the defenses and instead produced considerable casualties.

Seeing how the attacks were developing, Gu Yuanda began growing anxious.

If he could not take the city quickly and delayed until the combined three hundred thousand reinforcements from Qi and Qin arrived, he would be in serious trouble.

No other city had defenses comparable to the Qi capital's walls.

If he could not occupy this city, how was he supposed to hold out for long against Huyan Wuhen's encircling army?

Inside the central command tent, Gu Yuanda finally lost his temper with the accompanying Blackwater Terrace personnel. "Didn't you say you had turned men among the defenders inside the city? Why has there still been no cooperation from your agents?"

He understood very clearly that the Qi capital held plentiful supplies and no shortage of manpower, while one hundred thousand soldiers defended it. Without insiders cooperating from within, his three hundred thousand troops could never take the city. Even one million troops might not be enough.

If they kept attacking head-on like this, all three hundred thousand of his men would be buried here.

The Blackwater Terrace man immediately explained the difficulty. "Grand General, it isn't that our agents refuse to cooperate. According to the messages coming out, Qi's Three Great Sects seem to have noticed something and prepared in advance. Control over the city gates is extremely strict. Our people have found it very difficult to seize an opportunity."

Gu Yuanda said, "So according to you, should I stop and wait until your agents find an opportunity before attacking again?"

The Blackwater Terrace man waved his hands repeatedly. "No! If the men inside the city remain still, our agents will find it even harder to create an opening. Qi's Three Great Sects will simply hold their positions without moving. Only by forcing the troops inside into large-scale action will our agents have a chance. So we still need the Grand General's army to cooperate!"

Gu Yuanda said heavily, "Blind attacks are useless cooperation. Have them produce a concrete, workable plan first."

"Grand General, rest assured. A practical plan is already being formulated."

Huyan Wuhen's warning had ultimately proven useful.

With Qi's Three Great Sects on high alert, the rebels' internal-agent plan had been frustrated and repeatedly failed to gain purchase.

...

Inside the imperial palace, Huyan Wei practically never removed his armor day or night. With the household generals assisting him, he maintained strict control over the Imperial Guard and protected the security of the inner palace.

The moment the sounds of the siege began, Huyan Wei climbed the palace wall to look toward the direction under attack.

His eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion.

The entire Huyan family had been brought into the palace.

The Empress said she feared it was unsafe outside.

In truth, it was Crown Prince Hao Hong's idea.

He was afraid the Huyan family might run...

...

Inside a small side chamber, Bu Xun finished his meal and waved for a young eunuch to clear away the dishes.

Suddenly, he sensed something was wrong.

It was too quiet.

There did not even seem to be the sound of footsteps outside.

He immediately strode through the door and looked around. The courtyard was silent. There truly were no footsteps.

More precisely, there was not a single person in sight.

What was happening?

Bu Xun's heart tightened. He immediately headed toward the main hall where Hao Yuntu was being confined.

He had not gone far when his body suddenly stumbled.

One hand caught a pillar beneath the corridor eaves. The other clutched his stomach as his breathing abruptly grew rapid.

He lifted the hand from his abdomen and wiped his mouth and nose.

Bright red stained his palm.

Blood dripped steadily from his mouth and nostrils.

"Where's the ink? There's no ink! Someone come! Bu Xun!"

Inside the hall, Hao Yuntu stood with his hair loose and disheveled, looking half-mad. Brush in hand, he had scrawled across the walls and pillars. Sheets of paper lay scattered chaotically across the floor as well, covered in disorderly writing, all of it curses and denunciations.

Then he suddenly discovered he had run out of ink and began shouting.

Bang!

The door was pushed open.

Without even looking, Hao Yuntu stared at the writing on the wall and barked, "Bring ink!"

No one answered.

Hao Yuntu suddenly turned, eyes blazing with anger.

The fury in them slowly turned to stunned disbelief.

Someone had crawled across the threshold.

That man was dragging himself inside with great difficulty.

It was Bu Xun, blood running from his mouth and nose.

The brush slipped from Hao Yuntu's fingers and struck the floor.

He stared blankly at the old eunuch crawling toward him.

Bu Xun finally reached Hao Yuntu's feet and grabbed the hem of his robe. His mouth was full of blood.

"Your... Majesty..."

At last Hao Yuntu slowly crouched and took Bu Xun's hand.

He did not need to guess who had done this.

His face filled with grief and fury.

"Unfilial wretch! Someone come! Someone come! Save him! Come save my Chief Eunuch!"

His voice became a grief-stricken roar.

"It's no use." Bu Xun's face had already begun turning blue-black. He tugged weakly at Hao Yuntu, telling him not to waste his effort. Gasping for breath, he said, "Your Majesty... give the state-protecting divine artifact... give it to Prince Yu."

Hao Yuntu dropped to his knees and carefully laid him flat, trying to make him as comfortable as possible. One hand stroked his chest soothingly.

"Old friend, it was my stubbornness that brought this upon you. But I cannot hand it over. Why are they so desperate for the state-protecting divine artifact at a time like this? Because they're preparing for the possibility that they cannot hold the city and may need to flee! This is the dignified capital of Qi, defended with the strength of the entire state. One hundred thousand troops hold it, and the city walls are strong enough to resist a million-man assault. How can the capital of a great state be abandoned lightly? If that unfilial wretch cannot obtain the state-protecting divine artifact, he won't dare abandon the city casually. Otherwise, the artifact may fall into enemy hands. They must hold the city for me! I believe in my Supreme General. He will never abandon Qi. Reinforcements will come!"

Bu Xun shook his head. "Your Majesty... this old slave's death is nothing. Killing this old slave is only killing the chicken to frighten the monkeys. If Your Majesty still refuses to hand it over, they will begin poisoning the other imperial princes. He rose by rebellion and usurpation. His name is not proper, his claim is not legitimate. The other princes have more than enough reason to oppose him. If he cannot obtain the state-protecting divine artifact and establish his standing among the princes, then all the princes will be in danger. And if they decide to seize the treasury by force, it isn't truly impossible to open. At most, it will take a little more time. It can't... can't stop them... There is no need to let Your Majesty's sons and daughters make meaningless... meaningless..."

His neck strained.

His eyes widened with effort.

But he never finished the sentence.

His body went rigid, then slackened. His head fell weakly to one side.

Hao Yuntu breathed rapidly.

His eyes reddened, and tears spilled down his face.

Suddenly he raised his sleeve and wiped them away.

Then he reached out and covered Bu Xun's eyes, slowly closing them.

He murmured, "Old friend, go on ahead."

Afterward, Hao Yuntu rose and walked unhurriedly to the doorway.

Standing there, he shouted, "Someone come!"

...

Inside the Imperial Study, a eunuch hurried in and leaned close to Hao Hong. In a low voice he reported, "Your Highness Crown Prince, His Majesty says he is willing to hand over the state-protecting divine artifact, but..."

Hao Hong brightened at the first half.

Just as Bu Xun had said, without the state-protecting divine artifact in hand, Hao Hong could not feel secure.

If the artifact fell into enemy hands while he himself no longer possessed it, what sort of Emperor of Qi could he claim to be?

With rebel forces attacking the city, he had no choice but to prepare for the worst. If he had to flee, the state-protecting divine artifact had to be in his hands.

But when he heard the word "but," his expression darkened slightly. "But what?"

The eunuch replied, "His Majesty says that if Your Highness wants the state-protecting divine artifact, then don't skulk about in secret. Your Highness must go see him personally and ask him for it openly, face-to-face!"

Hao Hong grew apprehensive.

Hao Yuntu's accumulated authority had left too deep an impression on him.

On top of that, guilty over his own act of rebellion, Hao Hong had not dared face his father since placing him under house arrest. Until now, he had deliberately avoided meeting him.

But the circumstances were different this time.

After hesitating and weighing matters for a while, Hao Hong waved his hand. "Let's go. I'll see him... Bring more men!"

"Yes!" The eunuch accepted the order and hurried away to make arrangements.

At the place of confinement, father and son finally met.

Hao Hong glanced at Bu Xun's corpse lying at his father's feet, then cupped his hands and bowed. "Imperial Father!"

Hao Yuntu swept a cold glance over the group behind him and said flatly, "I am an old man now. I no longer possess the hot blood and courage of youth. Yet you need this many people merely to come see me? Are you trying to show me how cowardly you are?"

So many people were listening.

Hao Hong flushed with humiliation and anger.

He lowered his hands and straightened his chest. "Imperial Father, does saying such things still have any meaning now?"

Hao Yuntu suddenly thundered, "What are you afraid of? You rebelled and usurped the throne successfully. That is your ability. What is there to fear? With this little courage, if I give you the state-protecting divine artifact, will you even be able to keep it?"

Hao Hong drew a deep breath. "I have nothing to fear. Imperial Father is thinking too much."

"Good!" Hao Yuntu raised a hand and pointed to the ground before him. "You want the state-protecting divine artifact, don't you? Kneel. Kowtow three times. Then I will give it to you!"

Hao Hong stared at him, unable to understand his purpose.

Hao Yuntu said, "What? You cannot even kneel and kowtow a few times before your own father? Kneel. Kowtow three times. The word of a sovereign carries no jest. I said I would give it to you, and I will give it to you!"

Hao Hong's cheeks tightened.

In the end, he lowered himself to his knees and bent forward.

He kowtowed.

Three times, unmistakably, his head struck the floor.

While he was bowing, Hao Yuntu stepped aside.

He moved away from Bu Xun's corpse.

And so Hao Hong's three kowtows were offered directly before the dead old eunuch.

The people who had followed him in watched the scene with complicated expressions.

Several of the eunuchs had reddened eyes.

[End of Chapter 1400]