Chapter 2133: Playing With Fire and Getting Burned Pt. 2
Chapter 2133: Playing With Fire and Getting Burned Pt. 2
Boom!
Meanwhile, in the human capital, the Liu clan’s main gate that had been defended for a long time was completely blasted open by the enemy’s massive battering ram. Its momentum didn’t stop and continued straight into the Liu manor.
Many Liu clan guards tried to prevent it, but how could they stop that terrifying battering ram? If they weren’t knocked aside, they were blasted into a bloody paste on the spot. Endless blood covered the ground.
Everyone in the Liu manor fell into a state of despair. In contrast, King Wu’s troops immediately experienced a boost in morale. They shouted loudly as they slaughtered their way in.
Inside the Liu manor, the Liu brothers were jumping around like ants on a frying pan. Just then, someone advised, “Elders, our defenses have been broken through! Even if we have to risk our very lives, we need to safely escort our two elders away!”
Liu Guang and Liu Yao’s eyes lit up. “Right, as long as we can escape, we’ll have a chance to make a comeback!”
Just then, a mocking laugh erupted. “Escape? Where else can you still run to?”
King Wu, clad in a full set of armor and weapons, charged in with a group of powerful cultivators. There were nasty grins on their faces.
Liu Guang suddenly screamed, “Everyone, follow me in arresting this traitor King Wu!” He knew fully well that with how things stood, only by capturing the king would they have a chance at survival.
King Wu believed that victory was already in his grasp. Since the other side dared to rush straight at him, he’d give them that sliver of an opportunity.
When they heard that, everyone in the Liu manor also snapped out of their daze and charged at him.
The Liu clan had maintained authority for so many years that they now had many strong cultivators too. Now that they were already in a moment of despair, the momentum of their charge and their voices were quite intimidating.
Meanwhile, King Wu was nothing more than a prefectural king. It wasn’t likely for his subordinates to be stronger than the Liu clan’s.
However, King Wu didn’t panic at all and coldly said, “Liu Guang and Liu Yao have defied the decree and even made a futile attempt to murder the Imperial Envoy. Their crimes have increased in severity and they are to be executed on the spot!”
As soon as he said that, a group of soldiers rushed out from behind him. They didn’t roar as they advanced, and remained silent instead. There was a unique murderous aura around them. Their attacks were extremely straightforward and they had excellent cooperation. Whenever their blades moved, another life was taken. Soon, the cultivators of the Liu clan were lying in puddles of blood.
Shortly after that, Liu Guang and Liu Yao were ambushed from the side, and their heads flew into the air. As they spun around in midair, their final thoughts were “How could King Wu have so many terrifying experts under his command?”
With the death of the Liu brothers, the morale of everyone in the Liu manor completely collapsed. They all tried to flee in horror, but it turned into a one-sided slaughter.
King Wu stepped right on the Liu clan’s seat of honor, their symbol of authority; he looked especially excited. “Take Liu Guang and Liu Yao’s heads and show them to everyone in the capital. All those who resist are to be executed without exception!”
The Liu clan had maintained power in the capital for many years, so their influence was deeply rooted. Today, it was mainly because they weren’t fully prepared that their forces weren’t able to fully display their power. If King Wu's side waited until the others reacted and fought back, it could lead to the rise of unexpected variables. But if the heads of Liu Guang and Liu Yao were displayed throughout the capital, even those people could only give in. Who would still be willing to throw away their lives for two already-deceased leaders?
Flames rose in all parts of the capital, weapons clashing everywhere. Many of the nobles and high officials didn’t know what was happening, and only told their clan guards to keep their doors shut and remain vigilant.
Before daybreak, the various parts of the capital gradually quieted down. It was clear that victory had already been decided and the dust had already settled. The scouts the clans had sent out finally found out what happened. They learned that the Liu clan had been wiped out just like that. All of them couldn't help but feel a bit of sorrow.
The Liu clan had relied on their status as relatives to the royal family to promote their own people to important positions, which had already infuriated the masses. That was especially the case after the late emperor passed; with the empress dowager’s support, the Liu clan brothers had held no more misgivings, becoming even more domineering and arrogant. Others had all been extremely dissatisfied with them in private, often cursing them to meet their end sooner.
But dissatisfaction was just dissatisfaction. They hadn't thought that the Liu clan would meet its end like this.
The highest-ranking officials were situated at the highest level of the empire’s authority, so they naturally disliked events that contained too many variables. And tonight’s events were precisely that kind of uncertain event. Besides that, a prefectural king seemed to have participated in the events too. With this as a pretext, all of the ambitious individuals under the sky could start to move.
On top of that, all throughout the process, the eight dukes actually hadn’t presided over the situation. Was it because something had happened to the eight dukes, or was it because they had tacitly allowed all this to happen?
...
The next morning, the bell to summon all the officials rang out. It was a bell that was never sounded unless there was an emergency. In the past few decades, this was the first time it had been used. Many clans even wondered if there was someone lying in ambush, using this chance to catch all of them in one go.
While they were waiting on standby, they quickly received news that King Yi, East Defense General Zhao Huanglu, had entered the palace to join the court session. He was Zhao Han’s uncle, someone with great prestige in the royal family. Since he had arrived, it seemed that last night’s events hadn’t had too much of an effect on the emperor.
Immediately after, the Director of the Imperial Secretariat Pei Ming, the Imperial Secretariat’s Right Confidential Assistant Bi Qi, and the Chief Attendant Pei Zheng entered the palace. With these big shots taking the lead, the other clans in the capital sighed in relief. It seemed that the current situation was still within control. As such, they all made their way into the palace.
Before he left, Sang Hong warned Aunt Mu again and again, “If I don't return by noon, then bring Qien’er and the others to the academy. Sang Qien and Zheng Dan are now rear mountain disciples, and Zu An is the libationer, so no one should be able to barge in there.”
Aunt Mu was worried, asking, “Should I go with you?”
As Sang Hong’s lover for so many years, she naturally knew about Sang Qien and Zheng Dan helping the empress. If others found out about that, the entire Sang clan would be done for.
Sang Hong shook his head and said, “If something really does happen, having you with me won’t help at all. It’ll just be throwing away another life.”
Just then, Sang Qien spoke up. “Aunt Mu, there’s no need for you to worry too much. The capital was already so chaotic last night, and no one knows where the empress went. Father might not be in danger. Rather, if he doesn’t enter the palace today, it’ll be even more suspicious.”
“But even though your father and I have cleared up the traces around our home, there’s nothing we could do about the tracks left behind further away. Those people will definitely have an idea where the empress disappeared to. This morning, I went out and saw that there were already soldiers searching nearby. Sooner or later, they'll come knocking on our door, and at that time...” Aunt Mu began.
Zheng Dan chuckled. “There’s no need to worry about that. For the sake of my own enjoyment over the years, I’ve managed to gather some people too. There's a way to secretly send out the empress.”
Sang Hong and Aunt Mu had strange expressions. They knew a bit about what she was doing too. She seemed to have been secretly roping in and subduing some of the capital’s underground forces. They knew that she had previously established a gang in Brightmoon City, and hadn't actually approved of it much when they saw her go back to her old ways.
After all, the palace’s influence was especially great, and those underground groups were just playing around in comparison. If news of such a thing went out, and the Sang clan’s daughter-in-law were to be identified as the leader of an underground organization, that would definitely hurt their reputation.
But no matter how powerful the court’s influence was, it wouldn’t reach into the lowest places. Using these channels to escort the empress could actually be really suitable.
When he saw how amazing his daughter and daughter-in-law were, Sang Hong nodded in gratification. Then, he entered the palace.