Chapter 504 — A Single Branch

Song Yan dodged the edge of the blade and bolted straight for the Emperor's inner chamber in Zhaoren Hall, while others sprang forward to grapple with the Chief Standard-Bearer.

Zhaoren Hall was already ablaze with lamplight.

A young eunuch appeared at the great doors of Zhaoren Hall, a dagger pressed to Wang Yuan's throat.

Song Yan's face was black as the bottom of a cauldron. He shouted, "Where is the Emperor?"

Wang Yuan smiled bitterly. "The Emperor is in the side chamber. Bai Xi is attending him."

Whenever the Emperor visited a consort, he would use the side chamber behind Zhaoren Hall.

And Bai Xi was Wang Ge's adopted son.

In other words, the Emperor had been taken hostage by Bai Xi while in the company of his consort.

Song Ke cursed under his breath and called to the Embroidered Uniform Guards closing in around them, "To shed one's blood for the Emperor is to die in the right place. Rescue the Emperor!"

The young eunuch's dagger bit three parts into flesh, and Wang Yuan howled in terror.

No one paid him any heed.

The crowd surged toward Zhaoren Hall.

Wang Yuan muttered under his breath, "Song Yantang, if I die here, I won't let you off even as a ghost." As he spoke, he had strangely fished a pitch-black dagger from his sleeve and driven it fiercely into the young eunuch's chest.

The young eunuch's eyes went wide.

He could not for the life of him understand how Wang Yuan had come to carry a dagger.

Those who attended the Emperor were forbidden to carry any weapon at all.

He crashed to the ground.

Wang Yuan scrambled and crawled into a corner, desperately pressing the hem of his robe against his neck, which would not stop bleeding, and watched as Song Yan flew through the great hall and on into the side chamber.

Only a single palace lantern was lit in the side chamber.

The consort who had been favored huddled trembling against the Emperor, not daring to raise her head.

The Emperor glared at Bai Xi like a wrathful guardian deity and roared, "You little beast, you dared to commit assassination!"

Under the weight of that accumulated majesty, Bai Xi's hand shook without cease, and his voice trembled, yet his expression held a measure of resolve: "This slave acted on orders, and begs Your Majesty's mercy!"

As he spoke, the sound of fighting came from outside.

The Emperor's expression did not change, but inwardly he rejoiced.

From beyond the room came Song Yan's furious bellow: "Insolence! Which palace are you a eunuch of, that you dare harbor treasonous designs!"

No one answered.

The sounds of fighting only grew fiercer.

The Emperor's expression shifted slightly.

Song Yan commanded the Embroidered Uniform Guards and knew every eunuch of any consequence. Yet now strangers had appeared, and had even slipped into the palace. To have evaded Song Zhi, there was none but himself—and the one dwelling in the Kunning Palace behind.

The Emperor's heart twisted as though in a vise.

He could not help pressing a hand to his chest.

The door of the side chamber was smashed open, and a stranger in eunuch's garb strode in, murderous rage in his eyes, and said to Bai Xi, "Quick, take the Emperor to the Kunning Palace! That bastard Song Ke means to kill us all!"

Bai Xi looked at the newcomer in dismay.

The newcomer paid no mind to any of it. He stepped forward, seized the Emperor, and dragged him toward the door.

It was the first time in the Emperor's life he had been handled so. He was so furious that his fingers trembled and he could not speak, while the consort, still naked, went limp and swooned away.

Two more men entered, took hold of the Emperor under the arms, and hurried out of the side chamber.

Beneath the moonlight, the Embroidered Uniform Guards and a pack of eunuchs were locked in a melee. Song Yan alone held off seven; he could not break free of them, nor could they seize him, and they clung together in a deadlock.

The Emperor's heart turned cold as ice.

A pounding came at the palace gate, and with it a strong, martial voice: "Your Majesty, Prince Zhaohua has come to your rescue—late, and begs your forgiveness!"

The Emperor could not help showing his astonishment.

After nightfall the halls of the palace were locked, and whatever the commotion, no one dared to go about. The Eastern Palace especially was the easiest place to stir up needless misunderstanding, and the Jinwu Guards' patrols there were the strictest of all.

The Crown Prince was soft, and in his heart the Emperor was somewhat displeased with him for it. Yet who would have thought that in the critical hour the Crown Prince would show such boldness, such flexibility, leading men to his rescue with such decisiveness.

The Emperor let out an inexplicable long breath, and a relaxed, comforted feeling of old age welled up in him.

"Release Us!" he shouted, and the two false eunuchs who held him involuntarily let go.

The Emperor smoothed his robes and strode toward Kunning Palace.

The great gate of Qianqing Palace crashed to the ground.

The men of the Jinwu Guards poured in.

The Crown Prince looked at the scene before him, his face as pale as death, still scarcely able to believe his own eyes.

"Is it really the Prince of Liao?" he murmured. "How dare he take such a risk?"

Ji Yong, who was supporting him, barely managed to keep himself from rolling his eyes, and said gently, "Whether it is the Prince of Liao or not, Your Highness should go to the rescue at once!"

At these words the Crown Prince steadied himself and was about to step inside, but Cui Yijun, who had followed close behind them, blocked his way.

"I beg Your Highness to wait a moment!" His eyes gleamed with suspicion as he looked at Ji Yong. "How does Lord Ji come to have a Jinwu Guard's waist token? And it seems to be Lord Song's token at that? If I remember rightly, today is not Lord Ji's day of duty..."

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Sisters and brothers, here is today's update.

o(n_n)o~

※(To be continued