Chapter 146: Tomorrow, A Sunny Sky

In Southern Zhao, winter did not bring skies filled with heavy snow or howling northern winds.

However, the endless winter rain was bone-chillingly cold.

From the dusk of the third day of the twelfth lunar month until the night of the fifth, it had drizzled for two days and two nights, with no sign of stopping.

Night, at the hour of Hai.

A side courtyard in the rear residence of Prince Ren’s Estate.

The doors and windows were tightly shut. On the table inside, five types of grain were arranged, with a strange little flag inserted into them.

“I have followed the instructions of Dharma Protector Ding and kept a close watch.”

The short, gap-toothed Gray Rat bowed and reported in a low voice.

“Where are they now?”

Ding Suian was shirtless, struggling to put on the Lin Tui soft armor. This life-saving Divine Artifact bestowed by Princess Xingguo was indeed useful, but it was extremely tight and very difficult to put on.

Gray Rat replied respectfully, “After dark, the Pillar State Official of Nan Zhao, Xu Manjiang, went to a separate courtyard in the north of the city. That courtyard is somewhat strange; I couldn’t get in.”

“Oh?”

Since Atu was a member of the Jile Sect, it wasn’t surprising that she had methods to prevent rats from spying. “Continue.”

Seeing that Dharma Protector Ding was not blaming him, Gray Rat breathed a sigh of relief and continued, “Earlier today, the top courtesan of the Nanshao Pavilion, Ah Ji, also went to that separate courtyard.”

“Oh.”

Hearing this information, Ding Suian felt much more at ease. “What about the others?”

“Coincidentally, the Prefect of Yunzhou, Lu Renjia, also went to his mistress’s house tonight.”

This wasn’t a ‘coincidence’ at all; it must have been deliberately arranged!

It seemed his deduction was correct!

The Jile Sect must have already known they were planning something big tomorrow morning and had made corresponding arrangements tonight to coordinate with their actions.

What Ding Suian was slightly wary of was that the Jile Sect knew their plan like the back of their hand.

However, since the other party was clearly a friend and not an enemy for now, he would get through this hurdle first before worrying about the rest.

“Alright, keep watching outside. When we return, I will claim credit for you in front of Sect Leader Xu.”

“Yes!”

Dismissing Gray Rat, Ding Suian put on the green robes of a servant from the estate and walked out of the side courtyard towards the Prince of Nanshun’s bedchamber.

Outside the hall, Wang Xigui and others, who had changed into the military coats of the Wu Army, were on guard. Seeing him arrive, a solemn-faced Wang Xigui stepped forward and whispered, “Boss, the situation has changed!”

“We are at the final moment; how can we talk about postponing it to another day? Commander Lu, doing this will only harm Prince Ren!”

“Lord Li, didn’t you hear the urgent message just sent by Deputy Commander Li? Deputy Commander Li received a military order this evening that the general taking over the defense of the Imperial City at the hour of Zi has suddenly been changed to the Jia Battalion of the Zhenxuan Army! Without an insider, relying only on our few dozen people, wouldn’t that be throwing our lives away for nothing?”

“Dying in battle is better than waiting to die!”

“Lord Li! As external officials, if things fail, you might still have a chance of survival, but my Prince is acting under the great crime of treason!”

Inside the bedchamber, the Prince of Nanshun sat high on the precious chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, watching Lu Kaiyang and Li Qiushi arguing in low voices below, his expression solemn.

At this moment, even Yi Yiyi, who was kneeling at the lower seat and strongly advocating for seeking life from the jaws of death, was unable to make up her mind.

A quarter of an hour ago, Li Dangxiong’s trusted aide had arrived at the estate in the rainy night, bringing news that threw everyone into a panic. He had suddenly received a military order that the duty to take over the defense at the hour of Zi tonight was canceled, and the Yi Battalion was to remain stationed at the camp.

Although Li Dangxiong was the Deputy Commander of the Zhenxuan Army, his original foundation was only the Yi Battalion under his command.

In other words, only if he brought the Yi Battalion to take over the defense would the Prince of Nanshun have a chance of winning.

This had disrupted all plans.

Speaking of which, changing the troops guarding the Imperial City at the last minute wasn’t a strange occurrence; it happened a few times every year. But with this change happening at such a critical juncture, everyone couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious.

Had the Emperor Zhao sensed something?

Thinking of this, they became even more hesitant.

Yi Yiyi subconsciously wanted to ask for Ding Suian’s opinion, but when she looked up, she didn’t see him. Could it be that he saw the situation was impossible and had fled before the battle?

The Commander of the guards, who had followed the Prince of Nanshun for over a decade, finally said firmly, “If there is no foolproof plan, we must not act rashly!”

“Creak~”

Before the words had faded, someone pushed the door open and entered.

“Just now, Commander Lu said something wrong!”

Ding Suian strode forward, stopped in front of Lu Kaiyang, and looked directly at him. “What do you mean ‘as external officials, if things fail, you might still have a chance of survival’? You must know that if things fail, Prince Ren will be a rebellious son who colluded with an enemy state and committed treason; we will be treacherous officials who instigated conflict between two nations. This is a matter where we are all betting our heads; no one’s outcome will be any better than another’s!”

After speaking, without waiting for Lu Kaiyang to reply, he turned and bowed to the Prince of Nanshun. “My Prince, has there ever been a foolproof plan in this world? Waiting for ten-tenths certainty before acting is nothing but an excuse for sitting and waiting for death! Since ancient times, we have only heard of seeking life from the jaws of death. Success comes from decisiveness, and failure comes from indecision! The guards in the front residence are already drugged. If we don’t act tonight, the news will definitely leak tomorrow! It will also trap our allies, who have already made their move, in a dilemma. By then, my Prince, you will truly become a lone wolf!”

Tomorrow is the sixth, which is also the day Prince Ren is to be invested.

To prevent any spies among the guards stationed in the front residence of the estate, the Prince of Nanshun had specially used the joy of tomorrow’s investiture to bestow wine and food during dinner. Now, the guards in the front residence had already been drugged and were temporarily locked up in one place.

If they didn’t act tomorrow morning, these guards would indeed be a major hidden danger.

But the words that weighed heaviest in the ears of the Prince of Nanshun were, “allies who have already made their move will be trapped in a dilemma, and my Prince will truly become a lone wolf.”

This was a reminder that tonight, it wasn’t just Prince Ren’s Estate that would be in action; other places had already moved!

If you, the core figure, shrink back at the critical moment, then no one will help you anymore.

The Prince of Nanshun slowly stood up, walked down from the brocade seat, and stood five feet in front of Ding Suian. His voice was calm as he asked, “Head Ding, what percentage of certainty do you have?”

“If my Prince can ensure that Deputy Commander Li also appears at the Vermilion Bird Gate tomorrow morning, I have a thirty percent chance of success!”

“Thirty percent?” Lu Kaiyang, who was nearby, stood up with a start. “Not even half! Isn’t this just sending my Prince to his death?”

Before he could finish, the Prince of Nanshun raised his hand to wave him off, and Lu Kaiyang immediately shut his mouth.

“Hehe~”

This was the first time the Prince of Nanshun had looked at Ding Suian carefully. Hmm, his nose was a nose, his eyes were eyes; no wonder Yi Yiyi’s childhood nickname, Ah Du, liked him.

“Thirty percent it is! You are right; there is no foolproof method in this world. In my current situation, to gamble for the Great Zhao’s throne is like a beggar taking a broken bowl to a gambling table to bet on a mountain of gold. If I fail, I only lose a broken bowl; if I succeed…”

The Prince of Nanshun looked around at everyone in the bedchamber and smiled. “If I succeed, in the future, I will share wealth and prosperity with all of you!”

Lu Kaiyang, Li Qiushi, and even Steward Yi clearly felt the Prince of Nanshun’s determination. They couldn’t help but look solemn; those kneeling knelt, and those bowing bowed.

After speaking, the Prince of Nanshun suddenly turned back and glanced at his daughter, who was looking this way, then immediately turned back and looked at Ding Suian with a smile. “Head Ding, if I am lucky enough to get my wish tomorrow morning, yours will be the top merit. At that time, I will surely reward you heavily; even if I bestow upon you my most cherished treasure, it would be appropriate. By then, you must think carefully about what you want to ask of me, hahaha.”

In the back, Yi Yiyi probably understood the deep meaning in her father’s words; her beautiful face couldn’t help but flush, and she lowered her head slightly.

End of the hour of Hai.

Outside, there was a bitter wind and cold rain, but the separate courtyard in the north of the city was warm and cozy.

“No more drinking. Tomorrow is Prince Ren’s investiture, and I have to get up early for court.”

The Pillar State Official of Nan Zhao, Xu Manjiang, waved his hand to refuse Atu’s offer of wine and smiled. “Atu, didn’t you say there was a sister for me to appreciate tonight? Where is she?”

Xu Manjiang was nearing sixty, his energy not what it used to be, and he needed to get up early tomorrow. If it hadn’t been for Atu sending someone to tell him that she had invited the top courtesan of the Nanshao Pavilion, Ah Ji, to the separate courtyard as a guest tonight, he probably wouldn’t have come.

“Hmph, you said you came to keep me company, but it turns out it was just to see Ah Ji~”

Atu snuggled against Xu Manjiang, cooing softly and coquettishly.

“Eh, in my heart, no one can compare to you, Atu. I have just long admired the top courtesan’s name and wanted to see her, that’s all.”

Xu Manjiang laughed and coaxed her. Atu immediately clapped her hands. This was what pleased Xu Manjiang the most: she would pout a little out of jealousy, but she knew when to stop, and a few words were enough to coax her.

Unlike those at home, who were either like wooden statues with no sense of fun, or jealous vixens who could make a scene for days on end, never-ending.

“Creak~”

While he was thinking, he saw the door open, and a graceful, slender figure walked in, swaying her waist.

Her face was covered with a veil, revealing only her eyes.

Her body was wrapped in semi-transparent gauze only around her breasts and hips.

Her slender waist, wrists, and ankles were all wrapped with bells, which jingled as she danced gracefully.

Xu Manjiang had seen countless women, but at this moment, he couldn’t take his eyes off her at all.

Ah Ji walked up to him, leaned over, and placed her hand on his thigh.

Their eyes met.

“The monkey of the heart is bound by chains, and the horse of the will is trapped by reins~”

Behind him, Atu, who had been gently pounding his shoulders and rubbing his neck, suddenly leaned into his ear and said sweetly, “Atu wishes the General a safe journey… to the afterlife~”

Xu Manjiang, whose body was stiff and unable to move at all, watched helplessly as a delicate hand gripped a hairpin and slowly pierced it into his throat.

Several miles away.

The Prefect of Yunzhou, Lu Renjia, had his eyes covered by a bodice. His hands and legs were tied to the bed with ropes, and he was splayed out in a ‘big’ shape. Yet, there was no panic in him; instead, he laughed until his beard trembled. “Baby, this new act tonight is exciting!”

He waited for a long time but heard no response, so he couldn’t help but wonder, “Where are you?”

Just as he finished speaking, he sensed someone nimbly climb onto the bed.

Lu Renjia was excited for a moment and urged, “Hurry, hurry~”

“Coming~”

Because his eyes were covered, he could only hear a charming response.

A moment later, Lu Renjia felt a cool rope wrap around his neck and said excitedly, “You little vixen, you always have so many tricks~ Hehe~”

More than ten breaths later.

“Little baby, it’s wrapped a bit too tight, loosen it a little~”

A few more breaths later.

“I can’t catch my breath.”

“You bitch! I’m suffocating, loosen it quickly!”

It would have been better if he hadn’t cursed; the rope around his neck suddenly tightened.

“Hhh~”

Lu Renjia let out an extremely labored gasp, and when he wanted to curse again, he could no longer make a sound.

He struggled frantically, but because his hands and feet were bound, there was no way to relieve the increasingly intense feeling of suffocation.

From struggling to convulsing, it took no more than a hundred breaths.

A short while later, the bodice tied to his face was untied and removed by a pair of slender, delicate hands.

Lu Renjia’s eyes bulged, and he died with his eyes wide open, full of resentment.

“Pah! You old thing, every time, besides covering me in your drool, you can’t get anything done!”

Second quarter of the hour of Zi.

State Preceptor’s Residence.

The State Preceptor, Zhou Beihuai, who had already gone to sleep, heard that the Great Eunuch Lü, who was by Emperor Zhao’s side, had suddenly visited in the middle of the night, so he hurriedly got up to receive him.

“I have disturbed the State Preceptor’s peaceful sleep; this old servant deserves to die.”

“It’s no matter. Eunuch Lü, what urgent business do you have?”

“His Majesty sees the continuous rain and fears it will delay the investiture ceremony of Prince Ren tomorrow. Just now, His Majesty dreamed that the Zhao River had dried up, and he is uneasy in his heart. He sent this old servant to ask the State Preceptor if this is an auspicious or ominous omen?”

The State Preceptor was a man of profound learning, not only well-versed in the classics of the Confucian Sect but also having insights into Buddhism, the Dao, and even divination and dream interpretation.

That was why Emperor Zhao had sent Eunuch Lü to inquire.

The State Preceptor silently made a calculation with his fingers, first soothing Eunuch Lü with a hearty laugh, and then said, “Before the mao hour tomorrow, the winter rain will definitely stop, and it will be a sunny day. As for His Majesty’s dream, the water stopping means the source of turmoil is cut off. The lake drying up reveals treasures; the worries are made clear, and long-term stability begins. It is an auspicious omen of national stability and the peace and prosperity of the people!”

“Good, good, that is good.”

“Eunuch Lü, you may tell His Majesty: Tomorrow, a sunny sky; tomorrow, the country will be peaceful and the people secure.”