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Chapter 117 The Conspiracy

Reaching an alley, Li Ye tossed Li Maozhen to the ground. He looked around to make sure that they were alone before he breathed with relief. Wu You opened her mouth to speak, but was stopped by a silencing gesture from Li Ye.

Somebody had appeared at the end of the alley. It was Li Yan, Prince Pu of the Imperial Court, with Tian Lingzi following behind.

Wu You was shocked to see them here. She peered deeply into Li Ye, her eyes filled with doubt and suspicion.

“You will understand later,” Li Ye simply said and walked towards Prince Pu and greeted him. Li Yan was here at his behest after receiving a message from his messaging jade note.

“What is going on, Brother Ye?” Li Yan asked with a bewildered look on his face.

He had refrained from revealing too much when he was speaking to them at the riverside because he noticed that Li Maozhen and Wang Jian were watching them.

Li Ye kicked at Li Maozhen. “Get up!” Li Ye snapped. “I know the strength of my punches. My blow was not enough to render you unconscious for long.”

Li Maozhen did not move.

Li Ye drew his Luke Sword.

Li Maozhen jumped with fright when he heard the sound of a sword being drawn. He looked frantically around, seeing that he was being surrounded and begged. “Please! Please! Have mercy! I’m sure we can come to an arrangement!”

“Who is this?” Li Yan asked, studying Li Maozhen with interest.

“Song Wentong, the Commander of the Regal Guards,” Li Ye muttered brusquely, “He’s one of the assassins sent to kill me. The other one got away.”

“The Regal Guards?” Li Yan gasped with disbelief.

Wu You’s glare turn cold and furious.

“Wait a minute! You know who I am?! How is this possible?!” Li Maozhen cried incredulously.

Li Yan pursed his lips, glaring at Li Maozhen with unfriendly eyes. Boiling within was the apparent intent to execute the latter as Li Yan asked slowly, “Speak! Why is the Commander of the Regal Guards seeking to assassinate Prince An? Under whose orders are you operating?!”

Immediately, he asked Tian Lingzi, “You know this man?”

Having acknowledged Liu Xingshen as his godfather, Tian Lingzi was naturally given a post within the ranks of the Regal Guards. But because of Li Yan, he was made a marquess, a class of nobility that outranked Li Maozhen greatly.

Tian Lingzi cast a brief look at Li Ye, feeling puzzled as he answered, “I have met him a few times.” He did not understand how Li Ye knew Li Maozhen.

Tian Lingzi moved out from the shadows as he spoke. When Li Maozhen saw him, he crumbled. His identity was no longer a secret.

“Song Wentong tried to kill me and he was assisted by a person with powers of Level 8 of the Qi-refining Stage! Only the Lieutenants of the Regal Guards, Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue, possessed such authority to field such skillful assassins. They are after my life!” Li Ye growled.

“But why? Why are they after your life?” Li Yan stammered with shock.

Li Ye was silent, pondering quietly. “Maybe, it’s because of Father!” he said suddenly.

“But how’s this possible?” Li Yan gasped with an aghast look on his face.

“Unless you can think of another reason?” Li Ye countered, his brows creasing into a frown.

Li Ye puckered his lips, unable to answer.

Li Ye looked at Tian Lingzi. “This would also indicate that the Regal Guards were also behind the Battle of Bagong Mountain!”

Tian Lingzi kept quiet. As a marquess of the Regal Guards and the godson of Liu Xingshen, he enjoyed tremendous prestige and authority that allowed him access to much confidential information within the army. It was hardly difficult for him to notice anything peculiar even if he was not directly involved.

“Does this also, also mean that your father’s death was also part of a conspiracy?” An appalled Li Yan uttered.

“It is an open secret that Father was executed only because the Emperor suspected him. With Father’s prowess, it would take meticulous arrangements and preparation to kill him. I’m sure even that included the retinues of the Prime Minister and various skilled personnel of the Regal Guards. If not so, it would be unreasonable my father even could not escape from the vicious scheme.”

Li Yan could hardly take in all the information, stepping backward unsteadily with disbelief and denial. “Wait, Brother Ye... How did you know about all these?” he stuttered.

“I met my father’s subordinates when I was at Huangli County!” Li Ye growled.

...

Seconds past in silence, until Le Ye urged Li Yan. “And now, it is time for Your Highness to make a decision!”

“What decision?” Li Yan uttered.

“The fact that Liu Xingshen is trying to kill me shows that they are already suspicious of me. They understand that if I were to find out about what happened at Bagong Mountain, I will never rest till every one of them is dead. They would not believe me even if I elect to make peace and forget everything. No. They will try to kill me for good measure. This would also put you, Your Highness, in a dangerous position, for they would also include you into their list of targets!”

“So... Am I also considered as expendable by Liu Xingshen and his cohorts?” Li Yan smiled bleakly.

However, the quiet Tian Lingzi’s eyes glinted ominously.

Li Ye ignored Tian Lingzi’s tacit gesture. “They might not, if you, Your Highness, were to distance yourself from me. After all, you have been allied with them for quite some time,” he said to Li Yan quietly.

Li Yan held Li Ye in a long, deep gaze. “No!” He cried, shaking his head, “This would mean that I have to join them in trying to kill you! I cannot do that!”

“Brother Yan...”

“No! I’d rather give up the chance to be the Crown Prince than betray my own subordinates! I can never do that!” Li Yan bellowed suddenly. His eyes steady with resolve.

...

Another beat of silence passed.

“If that is your wish, I have a plan,” Li Ye said to Li Yan.

“A plan?” Li Yan muttered with amazement.

“A plan that will win you the succession to the throne!” Li Ye revealed.

“But how am I to become the Emperor’s heir without the support of Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue?” Li Yan replied skeptically.

“That may be true, if you were to lose the support of the entire Regal Guards. But that same could not be said if it’s merely Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue as individuals!” Li Ye revealed, nodding approvingly.

Li Yan was still perplexed.

The glint in Tian Lingzi’s eyes grew stronger.

Li Ye cast a look upon Li Maozhen wordlessly, and his stare was sharp as a blade.

Li Maozhen staggered backward two steps, frightened and flustered. “What do you wish of me, Prince An?”

With a steely voice that bordered on malevolence, Li Ye spoke, “Do you pledge your fealty to Prince Pu, the heir to the throne and your future Emperor?”

Li Maozhen stared doubtfully at Li Ye before he stared at Li Yan. He swallowed hard. “Your Highnesses... You wish to launch a coup?”

“Not a coup! It’s the execution of treasonous subjects and the endeavor to support a new monarch!” Li Ye corrected him harshly, lashing out at Li Maozhen before glaring at him again. “Now. Tell us about your choice.”

Li Maozhen gritted his teeth. Without a word, he collapsed to his knees. “I, Song Wentong, hereby pledge my everlasting fealty to you, Your Highness!”

Li Yan was stunned beyond words.

Li Ye looked on casually. He knew Li Maozhen would not let the opportunity go.

He had no other choice.

Unless he wished death.

Li Yan woke up from his stupor, slowly turning towards Li Ye. “B-but Brother Ye! You, you really intend to launch a coup?!” he stuttered again.

Wu You glanced at Li Ye, her face betraying a doubtful expression, even though her eyes indicated her unchanging steadfastness towards Li Ye.

“His Majesty is now bed-ridden. Time is of the essence. There can be no more waiting. You must be decisive, Brother Yan! We need to remove all corrupt officials now against us!” Li Ye replied sharply.

...

“What is your plan, Prince An?” Tian Lingzi asked, speaking finally after a long time.

“With His Majesty’s present condition, both Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue will be hard-pressed to leave the Imperial Palace complex! We’ll have you and Commander Song maintain control of the Regal Guards that are manning the defenses of the Imperial Palace while we slip our men in. We’ll execute the treasonous swines before His Majesty’s Sleeping Palace!”

“But I’m afraid that the authority of merely me and Commander Song is hardly sufficient to keep the Regal Guards at bay while we act.” Tian Lingzi admitted gravely.

“That is why we need to induce more captains of the Regal Guards to defect and join our ranks before we can truly realize our plan. “I believe this is viable; Brother Yan is now one of the most powerful of all Princes since Wei Baoheng’s fall from grace. We only need to secure the loyalties of the captains of the Regal Guards and I am confident that it will not be hard.” Li Ye paused, his eyes gleaming with confidence. “Brother Yan will not only have the Regal Guards; you also have the support of Wang Duo, Lu Yan and the rest who will answer your call whenever you need it! You’re no longer alone and weak!”

Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue have long treated the positions of Lieutenant of the Regal Guards like their own heirloom. Li Ye merely needed to oust them from their perch and hang the leadership of the Regal Guards like carrots before a mule and the new Commanders’ could easily be counted upon to swear allegiance to Li Yan who could one day become Emperor.

Tian Lingzi considered the proposal carefully. At length, he replied, nodding his assent, “Prince An is right!”

“We only need to make sure that the Regal Guards on duty that day are our men. That is all,” Li Ye said.

“But we must be discreet. We cannot afford to have Liu Xingshen or Han Wenyue noticing anything before we are ready.” Li Ye pointed out.

Tian Lingzi nodded again in agreement.

Realizing that Li Ye’s plot could indeed happen, Li Yan could not hold back his shaking hands. “H-how much masters do we have now?”

Li Ye said calmly, “We have the followers of Duke Wang, Duke Lu, and those of their relatives as well as those of Brother Yan’s and mine. We have ample masters.”

“Ample, but not yet enough,” Tian Lingzi interjected, “Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue are, nevertheless, skilled fighters themselves, at the Great Completion of Level 9 of the Qi-refining Stage! Moreover, we must not discount the fact that there might be champions stronger and more powerful than these two still prowling within the Imperial Court!”

“More powerful? Warriors of the Spiritual Master Realm, you mean?” Li Yan stammered hesitantly.

“There’s no way to be sure yet,” Tian Lingzi answered, his head shaking profusely, “But I can feel a strong presence whenever I stepped into the Imperial Palace recently. A presence so powerful that it dwarfs even Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue!”

“We might still have a chance, provided that our foe is not of the Spiritual Master Realm,” Li Ye muttered, “Moreover, I’m sure not all champions of His Majesty are allied with Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue.”

“Indeed,” Tian Lingzi remarked and said, “Still, it is best to be prudent to make sure everything goes well!”

“Of course,” Li Ye replied with a curt nod.

Li Ye looked at Li Yan and pulled a long breath. “A long delay may cause trouble. 7 days, that is all we have!”

...

“Commander Song,” Li Ye asked Li Maozhen inquiringly, “You will not betray us, would you?”

Only death would await Li Ye and the rest if Li Maozhen were to betray them and divulge everything to Liu Xingshen.

Li Ye could have easily planted a jinx unto Li Maozhen to ensure his faithfulness. But Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue, both possessing greater powers than his, could have just easily broken his curse too.

Li Maozhen gasped, his face turning pale as he swore, “I will never betray you, Prince An!” He turned to Li Yan. “And you too, Your Majesty!”

“Some of your Blood Essence then, Commander Song, if you please,” Li Ye said sparingly.

Li Maozhen’s face turned aghast. He looked frantically around him and felt he was being surrounded by a pack of wolves waiting to feast upon his flesh. With no choices left, he swallowed hard and forced out a drop of his Blood Essence.

And upon his Blood Essence, Li Ye cast a spell.

It was a magical covenant, an enchantment that bound Li Maozhen. Li Ye would instantly be alerted at the merest hint of any malignancy upon Li Maozhen and the former would only need to destroy the drop of Blood Essence, and all of Li Maozhen’s powers would be stripped.

With a slam of his palm into Li Maozhen’s shoulder, Li Ye swung his sword around, trying to create the impression of a fierce battle. As soon as he was finished, he hissed and said to Li Yan and the others, “Leave, now!”

Quickly, they fled away.

Before long, Li Maozhen was found by the warriors of the Regal Guards who had first rescued Wang Jian. They were led here by the yamen runners of the Chang’an Magistrate.

Li Maozhen was found lying on the ground, spewing blood from his mouth. The warriors helped him up, relieved that he was found alive. “How are you, Commander Song?”

“I’m lucky you’ve arrived in time,” Li Maozhen answered, gritting his teeth in agony of the pain while holding at his wound, “I had pretended to be unconscious when they abducted me. But I was discovered when I nearly took out one of them... But they are very strong. I could have died if not for your timely arrival.”

“It is good that you’ve escaped, Commander! Things would become hairy if they were to divine your true identity!” said the warrior.

“All is well, I did not reveal my identity!”