【Under the Great Tomorrow】(76)

【The Great Ming Dynasty】
Author: hui329
Published: 2018/4/11 First Release
Word Count: 9198
Chapter 76: Laying Out a Net, Setting Up Ambushes, and Step-by-Step Killing Intent
The sky was still dark, the stars and moon were pale, but they were not as bad as the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty's grim expression.
Looking at the people who were kneeling before the palace gates to present their memorials at the morning court, all of them were important officials from the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, making up the majority of the court's civil and military officials. Zhu Houzhao,
whether out of anger or fear, held the memorials with slightly trembling hands, and after a long while, he managed to utter a few words with difficulty.
"Why...why are you all like this?" Zhu Houzhao did not know why his voice had become so hoarse and indistinct
.
Han Wen replied loudly: "Now the people within the country are impoverished and bandits are rising up, the calamities are increasing daily, and the petty people often lead the way to excessive feasting and
neglect of state affairs. We, your ministers, are high-ranking officials, how can we sit idly by! How can we remain silent! We beg Your Majesty to consider the opinions of the people and make a quick decision
."
"Please Your Majesty issue a decree!" the ministers shouted in unison, their voices powerful.
"Mr. Liu, what is the Cabinet's opinion?" Zhu Houzhao's voice held a hint of pleading.
"The memorials submitted by the ministers have been deemed highly appropriate by the Cabinet. We request Your Majesty to bring these traitors to justice and set an example," Liu Jian
declared loudly.
These people had served him since childhood, working tirelessly and without complaint. Even Ding Shou, with whom he had only spent a
short time, was a rare playmate with whom he could confide. How could they all have become heinous criminals?
The young emperor was bewildered and looked to his left and right. On one side, Shi Wenyi, the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard on duty, looked flustered
and had no idea how to deal with the situation. On the other side, Wang Yue stood with his head bowed and remained silent. Zhu Houzhao suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness and almost pleaded, " 　　I am well aware
of your love for the emperor and your concern for the country, gentlemen. However, these men have served me for many years and have done me a small service. I cannot bear to execute them immediately. I beg you gentlemen to show some leniency and allow 　　me to deal with them slowly..." 　　"Your Majesty," Liu Jian suddenly knelt down, tears streaming down his face, and said, "When the late emperor was dying, he held my hand and entrusted 　　me with important matters. Now, before the soil of his tomb is even dry, eunuchs have been allowed to seize power and ruin the affairs of the country. If I die, how can I face the late emperor in 　　the afterlife?" 　　Xie Qian immediately stepped forward and said solemnly, "The crimes of these nine men are obvious and abhorrent to both gods and men. If they are not executed, how can we fail to live up to the late emperor's 　　dying wish?" 　　"Please, Your Majesty, issue an edict to rectify the foundation of the country." All the civil and military officials knelt down. 　　"You...you all..." Zhu Houzhao looked at the dense crowd, feeling deeply wronged. His nose stung 　　, 　　and 　　tears finally streamed down his face. He cried out in a choked voice, "Court 　　adjourned 　　!! 　　" 　　**************** 　　... 　　"What difference does it make whether I live or die in this Ming Dynasty!" The young emperor wiped away his tears, then suddenly seemed to remember something 　　, grabbed Wang Yue's wrist, and said, "Old Wang, you're on good terms with the gentlemen of the cabinet, aren't you? 　　" 　　Wang Yue's expression changed, and he quickly knelt down, saying, "I dare not conceal this from Your Majesty. Because I am in charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial, I occasionally 　　go to the cabinet for discussions, but these are all public discussions, and I have never had any private dealings with foreign officials." 　　"That's good, at least you have someone to talk to now." Zhu Houzhao nodded happily, saying, "You, you go and 　　discuss with those old gentlemen. I will demote them to Nanjing, with no pardon for life. My future affairs of state will depend on you 　　gentlemen. Is that alright?" Wang 　　Yue's 　　eyes flashed, but he said calmly, "In that case, this servant will go and discuss with the Grand Secretaries 　　to see if 　　we can make an exception..." "Go quickly, go quickly! Hey, Li Rong, you two go together. You must persuade those gentlemen." 　　Zhu 　　Houzhao 　　urged 　　repeatedly 　　, " 　　I await your news 　　." ********** ... 　　Wang Ao said with dissatisfaction, "Xiya, these people are the root of chaos and disaster. They must be eliminated for the country to be at peace 　　. As the regent, how can you be so merciful?" 　　Han Wen of the Ministry of Revenue was even more unwilling. Although Han Wen usually didn't like to be the first to step forward, now that the bird had left the forest 　　, there was no reason to turn back halfway. In the officialdom, one either advances or retreats. 　　Wang Yue chuckled and said, "Prime Minister Li has the heart of a bodhisattva, but he still thinks Liu Jin and his ilk are too simple. Liu Jin 　　has been demoted to Nanjing before, and he returned alive and kicking after a few years 　　. He's even more difficult to deal with than before." 　　"What Eunuch Wang says is true. Now the arrow is on the bowstring and must be released." Xie Qian also said, "The current emperor 　　is capricious and doesn't follow etiquette. If we don't take him seriously and warn him, he may soon revert to his old ways." 　　Xu Jin, the Minister of War, was also somewhat undecided at this time and hesitated, saying, "But if the methods are too drastic, there may be other 　　complications." 　　"I've overthought things," Li Rong said smugly. "Now that we've laid an inescapable net, even a celestial being 　　couldn't escape." 　　Li Dongyang remained hesitant, looking inquiringly at Liu Jian, who was leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed. "Huian, you 　　make the decision." 　　Liu Jian slowly opened his eyes, glanced at everyone, and then slowly said, "It's not me who makes the decision, but 　　we who help His Majesty make a choice." 　　"Exactly, exactly," Li Rong nodded repeatedly. "His Majesty already intends to punish them, but unfortunately, he's too kind-hearted and 　　easily swayed, unable to make a decision. We, as his subjects, should share his burden." 　　"Eunuch Wang, what are these people doing now?" Liu Jian asked. 　　Wang Yue sneered, "As the Grand Secretary predicted, these people have all hidden in the Inner Eastern Depot. They're probably so scared they've wet 　　their pants, hahaha..."

"We've failed to rouse the snake from the grass; now we have no choice but to close the gate and beat the dog," Liu Jian said with a slight nod, then gave Xie
Qian a knowing look. Xie Qian smiled knowingly, 　　rose, and
retrieved a blank imperial edict from the Imperial Edicts Room in the east of the pavilion
. He laid it on the table, picked up a brush, and drafted an edict. Li Rong then picked up 　　a vermilion brush to annotate it and handed it to Wang Yue. Wang Yue carefully examined it and smiled, "Once I return to the Directorate of Ceremonial to have it stamped, this genuine imperial edict 　　to punish the traitors will be complete." 　　Liu Jian's expression was solemn as he instructed, "The Grand Secretary must not be careless. The matter of killing the traitors must be decided quickly, lest complications arise 　　." "Don't 　　worry, Grand Secretary, I understand," Wang Yue replied confidently, then said menacingly, 　　"We'll wait until the capital is locked tonight, then Liu Jin and his ilk will die without a burial place." 　　Han Wen and the others, still unaware of the full plan, asked curiously, "Will it be you two leading men 　　to kill the bandits tonight?" 　　Wang and Li exchanged a surprised glance, then burst into laughter. 　　"Perhaps I misspoke?" Han Wen said displeased. 　　"Grand Minister of Agriculture, please don't be offended," Li Rong explained. "Liu Jin's martial arts are unfathomable. We have no iron bandages around our necks 　　, so why would we risk our lives? Someone else will handle this." 　　Han Wen was about to ask more, but Liu Jian stopped him. "Alright, that's enough . 　　We'll leave it to you two ministers. 　　As for afterward..." Seeing Liu Jian point to the imperial edict in his hand, Wang Yue said 　　, "Don't worry, Grand Secretary Liu, there won't be any loose ends. However, to reassure His Majesty, I'll have to make several trips back and forth today. Please accompany me 　　." " 　　Of course," Liu Jian agreed 　　, 　　turning to Xu Jin and 　　saying, "Dongya, we can 　　sleep soundly tonight, but you'll have to work harder... 　　" ********** ... 　　Weng Taibei, his hair disheveled and face haggard, poured himself a drink, seemingly content. The 　　man sitting opposite him, his expression grave, didn't touch the food and wine he'd been offered, yet his eyes betrayed barely suppressed agitation 　　. His face trembled slightly, making the long, winding scar on his cheek appear even more menacing. This was none other than Baili Ben, Weng Taibei's former trusted 　　subordinate and the Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. 　　Deng Ren was puzzled. News of Baili Ben's betrayal and attacks on his father-in-law's former subordinates had already reached him through Weng Xizhu . 　　Weng Taibei should have at least given this opportunistic man a cold shoulder, if not harsh words. Why was 　　he drinking and chatting as if nothing had happened? Even the shrewd Deng Ren couldn't fathom his intentions. 　　"Commander Weng, you… have suffered," Baili Ben stammered, his words seemingly hesitant to speak. 　　Weng Taibei drank another cup of wine and laughed heartily, "I'm no longer in charge of the guards, so there's no need to stand on ceremony 　　. Just call me by my old name." 　　"Yes, Uncle-Master." Baili Ben felt relieved, and his tone became lighter. 　　Deng Ren's eyes widened. His father-in-law was actually Baili Ben's fellow uncle-master, and he had no idea about it. 　　It seemed that even Xizhu didn't know. What else was this Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard hiding? 　　Weng Taibei laughed heartily, "That's right. I still remember the first time I saw you, kid. You had this 　　carefree attitude, like the sky was falling down. A half-grown kid, yet you used a woodcutter's knife to take down two wild wolves. You really had 　　a fierce streak." 　　Baili Ben also laughed, touching the scar on his face, recalling the past, and said, "If it weren't for Uncle-Master, I would 　　have been bitten by wolves that time." 　　"Back then, you didn't say any nonsense about saving my life. Instead, you said something like..." Weng Taibei pondered 　　and recalled. 　　"Both wolves are mine, I'll fight anyone who tries to take them," Baili Ben replied. 　　"Yes, yes, yes, that's the nonsense that caught my eye." Weng Taibei clapped his hands and laughed, pointing at 　　Baili Ben and saying, "I asked you if you were willing to learn martial arts, and you replied..." 　　"Will you provide enough food?" A hint of warmth appeared on Baili Ben's ugly face. 　　Weng Taibei laughed wildly, tears streaming down his face. "What a glutton! You eat as much as 　　three people, but your aptitude for martial arts... tsk tsk..." 　　Weng Taibei shook his head repeatedly, as if recalling something extremely unpleasant. "You seemed to have taken seven days to learn a set of beginner long fist techniques 　　?" 　　"Seven and a half days." Baili Ben's smile was bitter. "My fellow disciples all said I was slow-witted and unteachable. 　　At mealtimes, some people would mock me, saying that no matter how much I ate, it was a waste of food, better to feed it to the dogs..." 　　"So you fought with that kid. He started his training three years earlier than you. How could you be a match for him?" 　　"I broke three ribs and bit off half of his ear." Baili Ben's tone was calm, neither proud 　　nor ashamed of the incident, but rather a nostalgic reflection on his childhood. "Master wanted to punish me according to the sect rules, so I 　　ran down the mountain in a fit of pique, and that's when I met you, Uncle-Master..." 　　"We men are of the same temperament, we only follow our hearts, who cares about other people's opinions..." Weng Taibei sighed 　　, "Once you enter officialdom, you can never find yourself again!" 　　"Uncle-Master, you..." Baili Ben wanted to advise him, but he was clumsy with words and didn't know where to begin. 　　"Shouldn't you have killed Qu Xingwu?" Weng Taibei suddenly asked. 　　"If we want to gain Liu Jin's trust, someone has to die. If Brother Qu's spirit is still alive, I'll apologize to him in the afterlife." Baili Ben 　　paused for a moment, then spoke. 　　"Is it worth it for you to endure such shame and humiliation, suffering the scorn and curses of your former colleagues?" Weng Taibei looked at Baili Ben 　　with sadness in his eyes. 　　"As long as Uncle-Master can take charge of the Guard again, it's worth it!" Baili Ben answered firmly. 　　"You believe their promises?" Weng Taibei's words carried a hint of sarcasm. 　　Baili 　　Ben chuckled, rose, and left the 　　prison. Turning around, he saw Weng Taibei still watching him. 　　He hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice 　　, "This is the only chance I've waited 　　for..." 　　**************** ...

Dai Yi frowned slightly. "Weng Taibei is cunning and shrewd, deeply entrenched within the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If he were
to regain command, he wouldn't be so subservient. Moreover, we stood idly by when he was in trouble; we might harbor resentment
. Eunuch Wang, please reconsider..."
"Reconsider my foot! Just give him a cup of poisoned wine to settle the score." Wang Yue examined
the imperial edict he had concocted, beaming.
"Will Baili Ben let this go so easily?" Dai Yi asked anxiously.
Wang Yue looked at Dai Yi meaningfully. "Eunuch Dai, do you think Baili Ben will have a tomorrow...?"
**********
...
Liu Jian pointed to the map of the imperial city and said, "Among the imperial guards, there are over 1,500 Han generals belonging to the Embroidered Uniform
Guard, controlled by Baili Benfa. They will besiege the Eastern Depot after nightfall."
"Such a large-scale operation, won't it alert the other guards? What if they rush over upon hearing the news?" Han Wen asked
.
Liu Jian smiled without speaking, appearing unfathomable.
"That's right. There are also 2,500 Red Helmet Generals and 500 Mingjia soldiers belonging to the 3,000 Battalions in the imperial city, as well as
3,000 Forked Sword Encirclement Soldiers from the Five Armies Battalions. They have the numerical advantage," Li Dongyang explained, "This was originally what we
were worried about, but that brat Ding Shou has actually helped us."
"Ding Shou?! Could it be that he's also in league with Wang Yue?" Han Wen wondered, wouldn't that joint memorial have inadvertently
harmed friendly forces?
Xie Qian laughed, "Guan Dao is overthinking it. That brat Ding has offended Marquis Guo Liang of Wuding, and Marquis Guo is also
very close to the Duke of Yingguo. Aren't these two in charge of the Three Thousand Camp and the Five Armies Camp respectively?"
Han Wen suddenly realized, "That's excellent! With this net of nearly ten thousand men, how could Liu Jin and his men possibly escape
?"
Liu Jian stroked his beard smugly, "The reason I asked Xu Dongya to sit in the Governor's Mansion overnight was because I was worried that military men
would break their promises and things might go wrong."
"Hui'an is indeed a wise and experienced strategist, his plans are flawless!" Han Wen flattered and laughed, but suddenly realized something,
his expression changed, "Wait, Hui'an, you've overlooked something. There's another military force in the inner court that we can't underestimate..."
The Imperial Horse Administration! The Imperial Horse Administration's Four Guards and the Warrior Battalion were formed by selecting the elite troops from
all the garrisons and deserters from the grasslands. Their weaponry and armor were superior to those of other armies, and they served as the emperor's escorts. During the Tumu Crisis, when the elite troops of the Beijing garrison were wiped out, the
Imperial Horse Administration was among those who defended Beijing against the Oirat cavalry. If this force were to participate, it would be enough to turn the tide.
Han Wen expressed his concerns, but the three Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet smiled without saying a word.
Seeing the men's inscrutable expressions, Han Wen was completely baffled. "Could it be that I've misspoke
?"
"Guan Dao is indeed very worried, but," Xie Qian said disdainfully, "Liu Jin and his ilk have driven themselves to their own destruction.
"
"Liu Jin, Ding Shou, and the others are obsessed with currying favor with the emperor, and they've been extremely demanding on the accounts of the Leopard House they built. The imperial eunuch
Zhang Zhong, who was in charge of building the Leopard House, has long harbored resentment. Wang Yue promised that he would be in charge of the Imperial Horse Administration afterward, so..." Xie Qian chuckled
, "As soon as the imperial edict arrives, Zhang Zhong will immediately lead troops to eliminate the traitors." "
I originally intended to lure them out of their hole, so that if Liu Jin and his ilk committed any misdeeds, I could capture them in one fell swoop. But I didn't expect them to have all retreated
into the Eastern Depot. That's fine too. As long as they become deaf and blind within a day, I can turn the world upside down,
" Liu Jian sneered.
"The Imperial Horse Administration, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Three Thousand Battalion, the Five Armies Battalion," Han Wen counted on his fingers, "Tonight's commotion
is too great, it's like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut." "
Liu Jin's traitorous clique colluded with the Imperial Guard Commander Ding Shou, leading the Palace Guards in a rebellion. The Imperial Horse Administration and the Imperial City Guards
were ordered to suppress the rebellion and quell the trouble. What's wrong with that?" Liu Jian retorted.
"What a clever move to shift the blame to Jiangdong. Hui'an, you're going to stain the capital with blood!" Han Wen was also surprised by Liu Jian's
grand scheme.
"After tonight, we will be one with the inner court and the military, without any further grudges. With the Emperor in charge, the world
will be at peace. What's wrong with that?" Liu Jian said calmly.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
Qian Ning had been somewhat agitated all day. He had heard the news from the morning court session; he hadn't expected those high-ranking
officials to be so ruthless, attempting to wipe out the emperor's close confidants. Qian Ning wondered if he
should leave the city to hide; who knew if the city gates caught fire and he, a mere shrimp in the Jinyiwei's pool, would be caught in the crossfire
.
With troubles weighing on his mind, he inevitably sought solace in alcohol. He found a small tavern, used his embroidered spring knife to shoo away the other customers,
and monopolized a table, having the whole place to himself.
The wine was bland, the food tasteless, and the owner and waiters had long since hidden in the kitchen. Qian Ning had
nowhere to vent his anger; it was truly a case of misfortune making even drinking cold water difficult.
"How impressive, Lord Qian," a figure said, sitting down opposite him.
"Get lost—" Qian Ning blurted out in his anger, but upon recognizing the person, he immediately stood up and hastily bowed
.
"This humble servant greets Lord Baili."
Baili Ben, expressionless, gestured with his lip. "Sit."
"Yes." Qian Ning nervously sat down on the stool, his bottom half touching the ground.
"You must have heard about the morning court session. What are your plans?"
Qian Ning shrank back. "What business is it of mine to have gods fighting? What plans could I possibly have?"
Baili Ben remained noncommittal to Qian Ning's words, changing the subject: "I know that you were the one who tipped off Prince Rong several times
."
With a thud, Qian Ning jumped up in surprise, not even bothering to stop the stool from falling over, stammering, "M
-Lord...how...how did you know..."
"Isn't this what we do for a living?" Baili Ben twitched his eyebrows, the winding scar on his face
seeming to come alive, his expression ferocious.
"Does Lord Baili intend to hand this humble servant over to Commander Ding?" Qian Ning also stood up abruptly, grabbing the stool and
sitting down firmly.
Baili Ben nodded with a hint of approval. "Whether you're loyal to your former master or hedging your bets,
I'm too lazy to guess your intentions. Ding Shou is in dire straits now. If you want a good ending, do me a favor...
"
************
Embroidered Uniform Guard, Inner Study.
Several landscape paintings and calligraphy hung on the pink walls. A row of bookshelves along the window was piled high with official documents. Opposite the bookshelves...
A luxurious embroidered spring knife, inlaid with gold and jade, hung above.
Shi Wenyi, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, sat behind his desk, sighing deeply. His mood was even worse than Qian Ning's
. Having personally witnessed the terrifying scene of the officials kneeling before the palace gates during the morning court session, the unwavering unity of the civil officials this time was something Commander Shi
hadn't anticipated.
Compared to the lowly members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Shi Wenyi was even more caught in a dilemma. He knew
the weight Liu Jin and his ilk held in the emperor's heart and didn't believe the emperor would actually kill them; at most, he would be given a warning and temporarily lose power. But his
time as the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was almost over, and there were
countless people envious of his position. He wanted to switch allegiances, but they might not accept him, and what if Liu Jin regained power one day? How could they let
him go? He was caught in a dilemma, afraid to fight two sides—this was Commander Shi's conflicted mind.
Just as he was at his wit's end, the door creaked open. "
How dare you!" Shi Wenyi shouted angrily. His servants were becoming increasingly unruly.
"Lord Shi, please tone down your official arrogance." Baili Ben strode into the room, speaking rudely.
"Baili Ben, what are you trying to do?" Shi Wenyi had a bad feeling.
"Hand over the imperial guards' military tally." Baili Ben went straight to the point.
"What?" Shi Wenyi thought he had misheard. Arbitrarily mobilizing the imperial guards? What was this kid up to?
"His Majesty has decreed that the Embroidered Uniform Guards execute Liu Jin's faction."
Shi Wenyi wasn't confused about such a serious matter. "Absurd! If there was any imperial will, it would have been conveyed to me.
Who do you think you are!"
"Are you going to take it or not?" Baili Ben didn't explain, speaking coldly.
The conversation stalled. Shi Wenyi shoved the table with both hands, sending the carved rosewood desk flying towards Baili Ben. He then
twisted his body, leaping to the wall, intending to draw the embroidered spring knife hanging there.
Just as the knife was halfway out, the cold, steel judge's pen was already pressed against his face.
"Baili Ben, you want to rebel?" Shi Wenyi was both shocked and frightened.
Baili Ben shook his head and said indifferently, "The military tally."
"You should think carefully. Rebellion is punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family... Ouch!" Before Shi Wenyi could finish speaking, he felt 　　a
sharp pain in his chest ,
as if the judge's pen had pierced 　　his chest half an inch 　　deep . 　　" 　　The military 　　tally. 　　" Baili Ben's voice was as cold as ice in the dead of winter, devoid of 　　any emotion. ********** ... 　　"You still have the heart to sit down at a time like this?!" Ma Yongcheng almost howled, gesturing wildly, "The knife is at your throat 　　!" 　　Wei Bin muttered, "Injustice! What have we done? We're just serving His Majesty diligently, what have we done to 　　deserve this..." 　　Zhang Yong, though his brows were furrowed, managed to remain relatively calm. 　　Luo Xiang, on the other hand, looked completely unconcerned, enjoying a plate of glutinous rice cakes. 　　The oldest, Gao Feng, covered his mouth with a handkerchief, coughing softly incessantly. 　　Qiu Ju's triangular eyes gleamed, scanning back and forth between the faces of the men, a cold smile playing on his lips. 　　"Gentlemen, there's no need to worry," Zhang Yong reassured them, "News has come from the Qianqing Palace that His Majesty has ordered Wang 　　Yue and Li Rong to travel to and from the Grand Secretariat three times a day. Things might still be turning around." 　　Liu Jin frowned, "His Majesty hasn't eaten yet?" 　　Zhang Yong gently shook his head. 　　"Disregarding the proper etiquette of a subject, forcing the emperor, truly deserves to die!" Liu Jin slammed 　　his fist on the table beside him, speaking with hatred. Looking up, he saw Ding Shou, who was pacing nervously in the corridor, and said with displeasure, "Shou-ge'er, stop sneaking around, 　　what's the matter?" 　　"Lord Supervisor, Lord Shi said he has something urgent to tell me, it's extremely urgent, he's too busy to go, so he asked me to go 　　," Ding Shou replied honestly. 　　Liu Jin's eyes darted around, and he nodded, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard can't afford any mistakes, go, be careful. 　　" 　　Ding Shou acknowledged and withdrew, 　　passing by Zhang Rui, a young eunuch from the Qianqing Palace. Zhang Rui whispered something to Zhang Yong, who nodded with satisfaction and waved for Zhang Rui to leave. 　　"Gentlemen, the Cabinet has softened its stance, our lives are safe," Zhang Yong said to the crowd. 　　"That's good, that's good." Wei Bin's expression brightened. "May His Majesty bless us, may Heaven bless us! 　　Even if we're banished to Nanjing, we'll still be wealthy men." 　　The others echoed in agreement. Liu Wusan silently appeared behind the curtain and handed Liu Jin a 　　slip of paper. Liu Jin unfolded it, glanced at it, and then slipped it into his sleeve. 　　Just as the group was celebrating, Liu Jin suddenly said, "I just received news that the Cabinet and Wang Yue have forged an imperial edict to mobilize 　　troops, preparing to kill us tonight—" 　　Liu Jin didn't finish his sentence, but instead made a throat-slitting gesture. 　　Zhang Yong jumped up, exclaiming in disbelief, "Could they be planning a rebellion?!" 　　Gu Dayong and Qiu Ju exchanged shocked glances, also stunned by the news. 　　"Your Majesty, I'm innocent…" Wei Bin wailed, collapsing to the table and weeping bitterly. 　　Suddenly, a violent cough erupted. Gao Feng, her voice hoarse, said with a bitter smile, "I never thought our family would be targeted 　　. If I had known this would happen, why did I have to live to this age? What a waste..." 　　Ma Yongcheng's anger flared, and he said resentfully, "Eunuch Gao, you also work in the Directorate of Ceremonial, 　　how could you not have heard a thing about such a big matter? Where have you been all these years!" 　　Zhang Yong immediately retorted, "Old Ma, Eunuch Gao doesn't usually go to the Directorate of Ceremonial. Besides, he's 　　one of the Eight Tigers. How could Wang Yue and the others not be wary of him? Old Gao is a senior in the palace; you know the rules!" 　　Ma Yongcheng, unable to vent his anger, turned to see Luo Xiang still eating non-stop. He snapped, knocking 　　the pastry away, "Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating! Are you in a hurry to be executed?" 　　Luo Xiang stopped eating, his round face showing a strange expression. He looked Ma Yongcheng up and down with a peculiar gaze, then stuck out his 　　blood-red tongue and licked his thick lips. 　　Ma Yongcheng felt uneasy under Luo Xiang's strange gaze, and suddenly remembered the rumors about this guy in the palace, and was terrified.

A chill ran down his spine, and he took several steps back, his voice trembling as he asked, "What are you going to do?"
"Alright," Liu Jin, sitting in the main seat, suddenly spoke.
Luo Xiang's expression instantly returned to normal. He bent down to pick up the fallen glutinous rice cake, gently blew off the dust
, and popped it into his mouth.
Ma Yongcheng finally came to his senses, let out a long sigh, cursed under his breath, and then looked to Liu Jin for help,
"Eunuch Liu, please give me some advice!"
Liu Jin calmly sneered, "Our heads are still in our hands today. We can speak and
argue, so why are you so flustered?"
Gu Dayong stepped forward and asked urgently, "Does the Grand Eunuch have a plan?"
Liu Jin smiled slightly, and was about to speak when he suddenly heard someone behind him say, "Grand Eunuch, please have some tea."
"Xiao Chuan, why are you doing these menial tasks?" Liu Jin looked at Bai Shaochuan, who was standing respectfully with a tea tray
, somewhat puzzled.
"Seeing that you've been working so hard these past few days, I felt very sorry for you. Luckily, we still have
some top-quality ginseng that Si Dangtou brought back from Liaodong in the storeroom, so I brewed this ginseng tea for you," Bai Shaochuan said with a smile, handing over the tea.
"You're so thoughtful," Liu Jin said, taking the teacup, lifting the lid, gently blowing on it, and about to drink.
Before the tea even touched his lips, Gao Feng suddenly coughed violently again, almost coughing up blood.
Liu Jin frowned, approaching with concern, "You should take care of yourself, old man. Try this tea to calm yourself down."
Bai Shaochuan, who had been staring intently at the teacup, suddenly clenched his fists in his sleeves upon hearing this.
Gao Feng gently wiped her lips with a handkerchief, glanced at the ginseng tea in Liu Jin's hand, then looked meaningfully at
Bai Shaochuan behind him, shaking her head slightly, saying, "This took a lot of effort from me, young man. If you, old man, were to take it from me
, I'm afraid that child would resent us to death..."
"You flatter me, Eunuch Gao," Bai Shaochuan said, bowing his head.
Liu Jin laughed heartily, "You always overthink things 　　. 　　" 　　He 　　then 　　downed 　　the 　　ginseng 　　tea 　　in 　　one 　　gulp 　　.
**********
... 　　Shi Wenyi slumped in a high-backed official's chair, his long, sharp face distorted, his cloudy eyes 　　wide open, and a dried-up hole in his chest indicating he had been dead for some time. 　　Ding Shou leaped out of the room, but Qian Ning was nowhere to be seen. He could only shout, "Quickly, someone 　　!" 　　A flurry of footsteps sounded, and Baili Ben, accompanied by Zhang Biao and other trusted men, appeared in the courtyard, along with Qian Ning. 　　"Lord Ding, what kind of behavior is this, shouting like this?" Baili Ben sternly reprimanded. 　　"Commander Shi has been assassinated! Quickly, lead men to apprehend the culprit!" 　　Baili Ben looked around, puzzled. "Apprehend the culprit? Isn't the murderer right here?" 　　"Who?" Ding Shou looked around again. 　　"Commander Ding Shou of the Embroidered Uniform Guard murdered the Commander-in-Chief of this Guard, Shi Wenyi. We have witnesses!" Deputy Commander Zhang Biao 　　shouted. 　　"You're framing me?" Ding Shou suddenly realized. 　　"Isn't this Lord Ding's specialty? Che Ting in the imperial prison knows it all too well," Qian Ning 　　sneered. 　　"Qian Ning, you've really improved," Ding Shou said, spreading his hands. "Come on, come and take him away." 　　"Fearless in the face of danger, Lord Ding truly has the bearing of a Jinyiwei officer," Baili Ben said, cupping his hands in 　　a fist salute. "I admire you." 　　"Dangerous?" Ding Shou sneered. "Baili Ben, if you can last three moves against me, I 　　'll write my name backwards." 　　Baili Ben nodded. "Lord Ding's martial arts are superb; I concede defeat. Fortunately, I had no intention of 　　fighting you." 　　Zhang Biao suddenly shouted from behind, and a sound of armor rubbing against armor plates filled the air. A large group of armored soldiers emerged from all over the courtyard 　　, all tall and strong, wearing long fish-scale armor and carrying imperial guard sabers. 　　With a whistle, the armored soldiers instantly formed a dense formation, surrounding the group. With a sharp "whoosh," long 　　swords struck the ground, standing in perfect unison like a wall. 　　Ding 　　Shou looked around. "Palace Guards! Baili Ben, what do you intend to do?" 　　Baili 　　Ben 　　pointed at Ding Shou. " 　　Liu Jin, Ding Shou, 　　and their ilk have formed a rebellion 　　. I 　　am ordered to execute these traitors! Kill them!!!" 　　**************** ... 　　Inside the hall, the ruddy-faced Duke of Ying 　　, Zhang Mao, and a tall, thin old man 　　accompanied Minister 　　of War Xu Jin, 　　exchanging 　　toasts 　　and 　　enjoying themselves. 　　**************** 　　...

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