Xie Ming

A thousand years have passed in the palace. The late emperor has passed away and the new emperor has just ascended the throne, establishing a stable tone.

Stepping across the square outside the waiting hall, one walks on the blue bricks to reach the corner gate in front of the cabinet ministers' quarters.

At this time, the jinx arrived with his entourage, bringing news of the impending doom. Recalling the urgent situation in the city, Changting was impatient and deeply worried, urging Xiao Lang to prioritize rescuing his family.

Xiao Jingchuan gazed at the pavilion, hesitant and unable to make a decision.

Upon hearing Changting's words, the jinx beside him also came to his senses and wholeheartedly agreed and urged him to proceed.

"Correct!"

“Commander-in-Chief, what Changting said is absolutely right. Please don’t hesitate to object.”

"Time waits for no one."

“Perfect timing. My men are already waiting outside the palace, ready to receive the governor’s order.”

"Let's quickly infiltrate the east side of the city and strike first, ah!"

Even a jinx can offer heartfelt advice.

Upon hearing this, Xiao gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

"Oh! All right."

"Let us act in accordance with your words and deeds."

Upon hearing this, both Changting and Sangmenxing breathed a sigh of relief.

"However, we must not let our guard down in this chaotic situation."

"In that case, Changting, you should immediately select a few reliable and trustworthy officials from the garrison. These three important ministers, Qiu, Li, and Gao, must be kept in their chambers, neither allowed to leave nor enter, to prevent leaks and potential traps."

Xiao Xing had previously sent out secret orders and instructions.

After speaking, Changting didn't mince words, and cupped his hands in a fist salute.

"Yes! I'll take care of it right away."

He turned around and left to make arrangements.

Seeing him leave, Xiao Jingchuan frowned, still having other things to say. So he quickly pulled the jinx closer and spoke earnestly without stopping.

"Ah, you jinx, and so do you."

"You don't need to come with me for now."

"I'm assigning you two even more difficult tasks, which are crucial to the overall situation. You must handle them diligently and quickly," Xiao said.

"Yes, the commander-in-chief shall give the order." Upon hearing this, the jinx appeared nervous and took the matter very seriously.

"Alright, come here. Did you see Liu Wenbing who just came down to the corridor?"

Xiao asked, and the jinx quickly nodded.

"You lead the team and quickly escort this man to prison. Detain him with heavy guards and do not let him escape."

"Our entry into the city was a lucky accident; we captured the kingpin while catching the thief."

"It is a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune."

"Once you have a favorable start, you must not allow any unexpected mistakes to occur along the way."

"He is under the command of the Imperial Guard President. If we let him get away with what we've got, the consequences will be dire."

"Don't forget, there are still tens of thousands of imperial guards in the city. One wrong step and you're doomed." Xiao Shili said shrewdly.

Upon hearing this, the jinxed star reassured them that they should receive help.

"Yes, understand!"

Before the man could say anything more, Xiao laid out another one.

"Furthermore, according to the news that Master previously reported from Nanjing, Zhizhong may still be imprisoned and captured."

"Alas, I am most worried about his safety."

"You jinx! Once your troops arrive at the prison, you must find Zhizhong."

"If he is well, immediately send someone to tell him in detail about our entry into the city."

"As I said, the situation is still not out of danger."

"Make sure he finds a way to regain control of the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters."

"As for what happens afterward, he can adapt to the situation and assist you and Yuan Ping in quickly taking control of the security of Hangzhou. This is the most urgent task at present."

"Did you hear me clearly?!" Xiao Lu asked carefully, just before finally asking.

Upon hearing this, the jinx took a deep breath, mustered all his strength, and stepped forward, clasping his hands in acceptance of the fate.

"Understood, understood, don't worry, Commander, I'll take care of it right away!"

Having said that, the man left decisively, his movements swift and agile, without looking back. He was in a hurry.

As soon as the jinx left, Chang Tingye finished giving instructions and rushed back.

"General, General"

"Alright, everything's arranged, let's get going."

However, seeing that the jinx had left first, Changting, not understanding the meaning of what was said, hurriedly went to Xiao's place and casually asked him about it.

"Hey, General, what a jinx he is!"

Upon recognizing the voice calling him, Xiao Jingchuan turned his head slightly and gave a hasty reply.

"Ah, I sent him to take care of something else. We'll go by ourselves."

Upon hearing this, Changting was taken aback.

"Uh, well, that's fine too."

"However, General, we know nothing about the situation in the east of the city. Rushing in might be a safety concern."

Upon hearing this, Xiao let out a long sigh, looking utterly helpless.

"Hey, there's no way around it, it's already chaotic enough, and we simply can't spare the manpower."

"Let's go, we can capture people along the way and then question them."

"Damn it, Gong Yonggu."

"I hope that stubborn fool Gong doesn't try anything funny with me."

"go!"

"Let's go!" Muttering these last words to himself, Xiao Lang, impatient, grabbed Chang Ting and strode out of the palace.

The Hangzhou Imperial Palace, after a period of turmoil, has fallen back into a deathly silence, devoid of any vitality.

In the deep of night, the cold sound of iron hooves suddenly pierces the air, shattering the remaining lamplight on the nine streets.

Do not ask where the ends of the earth are; a whip carries the wind and moon past the heavy railings.

Sleepless night on Mid-Autumn Festival, Hangzhou is a scene of turbulent times and undercurrents.
Meanwhile, Xiao Lingchang, leading his troops in brocade robes, sped through the night, using the moonlight for cover, and made his way to the east of the city.

Over there, in Bingjia Lane in the east of the city, a thrilling drama about life and death is unfolding!
However, to explain this scene clearly, we would need to move the time forward by 25 minutes.

Bingjia Lane in the east of the city is lined with tall houses, which were originally inhabited by wealthy merchants and gentry.

This is why, after the late emperor fled south in haste and occupied Hangzhou, he was able to gradually vacate the area over a short period of several months to make it available for the families of high-ranking officials who had accompanied him to reside in their residences.

Last night, Emperor Hongguang passed away in the palace. Ma Shiying took the initiative to contact Liu Wenbing.

As a result, the Duke of Jingguo's family was forced to move with knives at their throats.

They were temporarily trapped in a two-courtyard private residence belonging to a family surnamed Huang at the end of Bingjia Lane.

Upon receiving the shocking news, the old monk Yao Zuyin devised a plan. In addition to sending his trusted disciple Huineng on a fast horse eight hundred li north to deliver the message, he also risked exposing his relative Yao Luwen to secretly convey a message to Qin Jing, a military commander.

For the past fifteen days, Qin Jing, mindful of his past relationship with the general and having carefully considered the pros and cons, decided to take a gamble.

Amidst the chaos and panic throughout the city, Liu Wenbing and Gong Yonggu, two scoundrels in the Imperial Guards, were in a state of disarray and had little time to attend to the Duke's family.

This young man quietly replaced the guards and took over the management of the Huang family's residence himself.

boom--

Tonight, around 11:30 PM, a deafening explosion occurred at Beiguan. Qin Jing, who was exhausted from guarding his house, suddenly stood up.

He became very alert, his mind racing, wondering if the loud noise was related to the Duke of Jingguo.

Whether the Xiao family army will attack the city in full force is uncertain, but in any case, at this critical juncture, the situation is already extremely precarious.

"San Dong".

"Wake up, wake up, you bastard."

"Quickly, call all the brothers up one by one."

"We are fully prepared."

"Hmph, what's coming is probably just around the corner!"

After speaking, in front of the house, amidst the crackling firelight, Qin Jing raised his eyes and gazed into the distance, looking deeply northward.

There, a faint red glow illuminated the thick, dark night.

It was obvious that he looked quite uneasy.

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Qin Jing suddenly rolled over, tossed his robe aside, and hurriedly strode into the house. (End of Chapter)