Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 365 The Nine Gates Fall into Lock
At the end of July in the fifteenth year of Chongzhao, the capital city was shrouded in a somber atmosphere.

The upheaval at Linde Hall was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, causing widespread panic and unease both inside and outside the court.

At the nine gates of Shangjing, the heavy iron bolts crashed down.

At the city gate, the once bustling crowd instantly descended into chaos. There were merchants rushing to the capital for business, travelers returning from visiting relatives, and caravans transporting fresh fruits. The chatter and neighing of horses abruptly ceased.

They watched helplessly as the two vermilion city gates slowly closed with a dull, heavy sound.

Countless hopes of returning home and making a living were abruptly blocked by the gradually cooling evening breeze of early autumn.

Inside the palace gates, the defenses were even more formidable.

Beneath the vermilion palace walls, the number of imperial guards had more than tripled compared to usual. A sentry stood every five steps, and a patrol every ten, their cold iron armor gleaming with a chilling light under the sun.

The mansions of nobles and dignitaries closed their doors to visitors. The once bustling gates were now tightly shut, with only gatekeepers vigilantly peering into the quiet streets.

In the streets and alleys, speculations spread quietly like wildfire during casual conversations.

No one knows what happened.

An invisible panic, like the sweltering air before a summer thunderstorm, silently seeped into every corner of the capital.

Rumors spread like wildfire.

Some say that His Majesty was startled by the Prince of Wei at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, and was so enraged that he vomited blood.

Some say that the Crown Prince and Prince Duan had a falling out and drew their swords at each other on the spot.

Even more bizarrely and shockingly, rumors spread that Prince Li Yan of Wei entered the palace with a sword, intending to assassinate his father, but was captured on the spot by the Crown Prince...

Regardless of which one, they all ultimately point to the same chilling outcome.

Emperor Chongzhao's health is critical.

The rain is coming and the wind is all over the building.

Meanwhile, the Liang Imperial Palace, at the eye of the storm, presented an eerie calm.

Beneath the layers of palaces, various forces are surging beneath the surface, an invisible string stretched to its limit...

Just one spark is all it takes for this impregnable capital city of nine gates to explode.
-
Three days after the Empress Dowager's birthday, at dusk, Xue Sui saw Tian Shu and Yao Guang in a quiet room built by the water in Sang Liu Courtyard.

After a long separation, Xue Sui smiled, like a little girl who had just received candy, completely lacking her usual composure.

She personally took the teapot and poured a cup of cool tea for Tian Shu.

"The summer heat hasn't subsided yet. Senior Brother, you must be tired from your journey. Please have some water to moisten your throat first."

"Thank you for your trouble, junior sister."

Tian Shu returned from the Western Frontier, travel-worn and dressed in coarse cloth and shorts. The disguise cream on his face had not yet been removed, and the leather sheath of the sword at his waist was badly worn. When he sat down, his back was as straight as ever, and his eyes were sharp and cold.

"Senior Brother has worked hard, but doesn't Seventh Brother have worked hard too? Little Thirteen, you're showing favoritism. How can you bully people like this?" Yao Guang, dressed in inconspicuous merchant attire, tapped the table, his face bearing his usual amiable smile, his chin slightly raised, his peach blossom eyes darting around.

Xue Sui raised an eyebrow and chuckled, then placed the teacup heavily in front of him.

"What's the rush? What's yours will come to you."

Yao Guang picked up his teacup, took a big gulp, wiped his mouth, and then quickly conveyed the news from the capital.

"On the day of the incident at Linde Hall, the Grand Princess rushed into the palace. It is said that she waited outside Zichen Hall for a full half hour, but still couldn't see the Emperor. The guards only recognized the Crown Prince's edict, not the Grand Princess... In the end, she had no choice but to turn around and return home with a livid face..."

The Grand Princess was Xiao Song's biological mother and the Emperor's aunt, making her of extremely noble status.

On the day of the Empress Dowager's birthday, she claimed to be ill and was unable to attend the banquet in the palace.

Afterwards, he disregarded propriety and forced his way into the palace, probably ostensibly to visit the sick, but actually to plead for his son and put pressure on the crown prince.

Xue Sui smiled faintly.

"The Xiao family, a powerful clan with deep roots in the court, will not sit idly by and wait for its demise. The Grand Princess's intervention is merely a trial balloon, testing the Crown Prince's bottom line and His Majesty's condition... Next, the Xiao family's protégés and old friends in various regions will likely all be mobilized..."

Yao Guang continued, "Since the incident, the Prince Duan's residence has been closed to visitors, and the guards have doubled their shifts. Scouts report that the lights in the Prince Duan's study have been on until the fourth watch for the past two days. Several advisors who rarely show their faces have also been quietly entering the residence through the back gate, their movements shrouded in mystery..."

Xue Sui said, "The palace is keeping news tightly under wraps; they're probably even more anxious than we are..."

The fog of uncertainty is causing anxiety and unease.

Undercurrents were also surging throughout the government and among the people.

Tian Shu put down his teacup, his brows etched with the dust and wind of the Western Frontier, his voice deep and clear.

"Li Zhao's swift and decisive actions this time were indeed brilliant. They were fast, accurate, and ruthless, and the timing was flawless."

Yao Guang's gaze swept over Xue Sui's calm face, her body leaning slightly forward with a hint of amusement.

"Little Thirteen, didn't His Highness the Crown Prince give you a completely honest answer, not even a hint or a few words in private?"

This was originally a joke.

Yet, within this atmosphere, a subtle hint of ambiguity lingered...

Tian Shu glanced sideways warningly, his gaze sharp as a blade.

Yao Guang awkwardly touched his nose and coughed to cover it up.

“I mean, the situation is changing rapidly. If we could know where the Crown Prince would move next, it would give us a better understanding and make our actions easier…” “In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are needed.” Xue Sui seemed oblivious to Yao Guang’s implied meaning and said calmly, “His Highness the Crown Prince is presiding over the central government and is probably too busy to attend to everything. If I were him, stabilizing the palace, clarifying Xiao Song’s crimes, and suppressing the chaos in the court would be of paramount importance right now.”

Tian Shu nodded, "Although the Linde Palace has a tight information blockade, such a dramatic change will inevitably leak out..."

Xue Sui nodded. "The truth will eventually come out. Xiao Yan will find out soon."

She paused slightly, then turned her gaze to Tian Shu, "Senior Brother, how was the trip to the Western Frontier? Has General Lu's situation improved?"

When the Western Frontier was mentioned, Tian Shu's stern face froze for a moment.

"General Lu's life is temporarily out of danger."

His hands, resting on his knees, clenched unconsciously, his voice heavy with an indescribable weight.

"The guards Xiao Yan sent to Shaquan Fort were all trusted henchmen, and the defenses were extremely tight. I originally planned to take advantage of the shift change to contact an inside agent and help him escape... With General Lu's skills, plus our inside help, we have at least a 70% chance of success."

Yao Guang frowned: "Seventy percent certainty? Why haven't they come out yet...?"

“General Lu has given up.” Tian Shu’s voice was low and strained.

Yao Guang's smile vanished. "Why is that? We went to great lengths to pull strings, taking a huge risk. Why is he so calm? Could he have another plan to escape?"

Tian Shu shook his head.

General Lu only conveyed one sentence: "The time is not yet ripe; we must not act rashly."

Xue Sui was slightly taken aback, and a very subtle ripple passed through his eyes.

"Since the incident, General Lu has been imprisoned, yet he has remained so patient and tolerant. This composure... is beyond the reach of ordinary people. As for Xiao Yan's actions, they are consistent with his ruthless nature. He has detained Lu You'an and a group of generals, neither interrogating nor killing them, nor sending them to the capital. Clearly, he is holding hostages, waiting for the situation in the capital to become clearer, waiting for an opportunity to seize the greatest benefit..."

"Hmm." Tian Shu sighed heavily and continued, "Xiao Yan is ambitious. Under the pretext of suppressing the rebels, he frequently mobilizes his troops and recruits soldiers. His elite private army has quietly expanded by nearly 30%. The consumption of food, fodder, and weapons has also far exceeded the norm, and he has even secretly purchased large quantities of ironware..."

Xue Sui gave a soft chuckle.

"So, he's not sitting idly by, but rather... sharpening his knife?"

"Sharpening a knife?" Yao Guang gasped. "You mean..."

Xue Sui said, "After the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration, the palace has been keeping the news under wraps, which clearly indicates that the current emperor's situation is not good. Just imagine, if something really happens to the current emperor and the crown prince successfully ascends the throne, wouldn't all the hard work that the Xiao family has put in for many years be in vain?"

When the emperor falls, a power vacuum is created.

They will definitely not allow Li Zhao to take the throne smoothly.

Whom will Xiao Yan point this knife he's sharpening in the Western Frontier?

What is the purpose?
Is it to purge the court of corrupt officials?

Or should they support another prince who is "rightfully" to ascend the throne?

The last sentence didn't need to be spoken; the three of them already understood perfectly.

The current situation is more unpredictable and dangerous than expected.

The atmosphere in the quiet room froze instantly.

At this moment, the attendant Yunhai entered quietly, cupped his hands, and reported, "Young Master, there are patrolling Imperial Guards passing by outside."

Tian Shu said in a deep voice, "Understood. Keep the doors tightly closed and do not make a sound."

Yunhai said, "Yes."

Outside the courtyard, the heavy footsteps of the Imperial Guards approached from afar, their boots striking the stone slabs with a chilling sound that resonated in people's hearts.

The three of them fell silent in unison, their gazes fixed on the light and shadows outside the window.

Once the footsteps had faded into the distance, Yao Guang lowered his voice.

"They're even patrolling our remote alleys now? There must be some major upheaval in the palace."

Xue Sui narrowed his eyes slightly, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the shape of the teacup, his chaotic thoughts gradually settling down.

"The Old Mausoleum Swamp has been lying low for many years; it's time for it to make its move..." she began slowly. "Xiao Song is imprisoned, Xiao Yan is too far away in the Western Frontier to exert his influence, and Li Huan is preoccupied with his own affairs. Right now, this is the most sensitive moment, but also the moment when oversights are most likely to occur. Keep a close eye on Xiao's faction, be prepared, and act immediately at the slightest sign of trouble..."

Tian Shu nodded solemnly.

"I will send more people to ensure everything goes smoothly."

Yao Guang also put away his joking mood: "Ping An, don't worry. All the manpower of the Old Mausoleum has been mobilized. Inside and outside the capital, at the river and land docks, wherever there are people, there are spies from the Old Mausoleum. In this capital, even if a suspicious fly flies by, we will know whether it is male or female, where it came from, and where it is going."

Xue Sui glanced at him, a helpless smile appearing on her lips.

"If you exaggerate too much, you'll easily hurt your back."

Yao Guang chuckled and scratched his head: "Your seventh senior brother is quite the character. He can not only brag, but also ride an ox without any problem."

Even if the sky falls, it won't change his witty and humorous nature.

Xue Sui chuckled at him, then suddenly seemed to remember something and looked up at Tian Shu.

"During your trip to the Western Frontier, did you notice any clues about Princess Ayinur of Xiz?"

(End of this chapter)