Chapter 64 (1/2)

Chapter 64 Abysmal: a.s.sa.s.sination

Feng Luodi shook her head. Despite knowing of the Heir’s plan to get rid of the 7th Prince once and for all using this opportunity, she could not agree with his methods. Situ saw the look of disapproval on her face and patted her lightly on the shoulder.

“Go and take an afternoon nap. It’ll all be over by the time you wake up.”

Feng Luodi bit her lip, unsure of what to say. She looked long and hard at Situ. “Be careful.” I’m not worried about how he’ll fare against the sis.h.i.+ of the 7th Prince, but of the schemes of those trying to involve him in their tussle for the throne.

“Relax, I’ll be fine.” Situ quickly put on a set of light armour and headed for the area where the Imperial Army was stationed. He exchanged a few words with the Chief, and turned to lead a troop of soldiers into the woods. Feng Luodi stood still, as if her feet were rooted to the floor. Only when Situ’s figure disappear from sight did she turn back to the crowd.

She look around, taking in the faces of all who she saw. The confidence and excitement on the faces of the princes, the different expressions of the officials of the court, and Jiang Moyin who was speaking urgently to the Heir. Elder brother looks…strange and different. It’s like I don't even recognise him right now. Feng Luodi shook the thought from her head and returned to her tent.

The afternoon session began, and the princes led their attendants into the woods. The 7th Prince spoke up first. “Brothers, I already have my eyes set on my trophy, and I will take my leave.” He turned and disappeared into the forest, his two attendants close behind him.

The 8th Prince looked around. “I shall head off in this direction, then. Best of luck to you guys too!”

The other princes all scattered in various directions, while the Heir slowly spurred his horse forward. A member of his Covert Guard appeared in front of him.

“Your Highness, a group of roughly 50 men are heading in this direction.”

“Finally.” The Heir smiled, and glanced around the area. He pointed in the direction where Situ had headed off with the Imperial Army. “Gather all of our men there. Make sure everyone stays alert.”

“Yes, your Highness.”

The Heir a.s.sessed the area again. It was quiet, and there were no traces of any animal activity in the vicinity. “Good. A quiet place.” He nodded, satisfied with what he saw. However, the two attendants trailing behind him looked uneasy, their horses snorting and pawing the ground.

Just as the attendants were about to voice their concern, a group of men dashed out from the woods ahead of them. They were clad in black clothes, a gleaming sword brandished in each of their hands and a mask on their faces obscured their ident.i.ties. The two attendants frantically tried to defend the Heir, but were quickly dispatched of by the masked men. Right before the a.s.sailant delivered the finis.h.i.+ng blow on the Heir , twenty other men dashed out from the woods and engaged the masked men in a bloodbath. Without a doubt, the new arrivals who had black sashes wrapped around their faces to protect their ident.i.ty, were the Covert Guard of the Heir.

The battle was b.l.o.o.d.y and ruthless, but the Guards protected the Heir from the swords of the a.s.sailants, forming a tight circle around his horse. A sounding arrow1 was released by one of the Guards, and a loud wail could be heard in the campsite outside the woods. Naturally, the Emperor was alerted as well.

“Chief Fang, what is going on in the woods? My princes are all in there!”

“Your Majesty, I will check it out immediately. The Duke of Anping is patrolling the woods at the moment, and I believe that he's on his way as we speak.”

“Oh? Then there's nothing to worry about then, seeing as how the Duke of Anping is in the area.”

Despite his self-rea.s.surance, the Emperor waited with his entourage at the entrance to the hunting grounds, anxiously antic.i.p.ating the return of his sons. Before long, all of the princes have returned to the campsite, including the 7th Prince.

The 8th Prince spoke up first. “Father, we heard the signal in the woods and came back immediately.”

However, the Emperor did not look at him. “Where is the Heir? Was he not with any of you?”

The 7th Prince shook his head. “Second Brother headed off in another direction. We don't know what's going on.”

“Chief Fang!” The Emperor became antsy. “Is the Imperial Army not there yet?”

The Chief quickly came forward. “I have sent a thousand soldiers into the woods, and the Duke’s troops of a thousand strong should be there as well. Perhaps the Heir had caught a big prey, and is still busy trying to take care of it.”

The Emperor’s furrowed brows did not relax.

Meanwhile, many bodies were strewn around the area beside the Heir. Some were of the 7th Prince’s sis.h.i.+, while others were of the Heir’s Covert Guard. The remaining six of his Guard continued forming a defensive circle around him, but there were more than twenty enemies remaining, ready to pounce at any moment.

“Your Highness, we might not be able to hold on until the Duke arrives with his men.” One of the Guards advised. “You should retreat while we still can protect you!”

The Heir shook his head firmly. “We have come so close. It will all be for nothing if I escape now.”

“Yes, your Highness! We will defend you to our very last breath!” The remaining six Guards roared, and engaged the a.s.sailants once again. Finally, just as another of the remaining Guards fell, Situ appeared out of the wood, the Imperial Army closely behind him. The sis.h.i.+ took one last look at the Heir, before turning and fleeing into the woods. Those that were fast enough to escape capture disappeared into the trees, while those that deemed themselves unable to escape quickly committed suicide, not wanting to be taken as captives.

The Heir nodded to his remaining Guards, and they quickly removed the bodies of their fallen comrades from the site. Finally, the Imperial Army returned to the campsite, with the bodies of the fallen sis.h.i.+ and the Heir’s two attendants in tow.

The Emperor was enraged upon seeing the bodies. “Duke of Anping! Tell me that you already have the ident.i.ties of these men. How dare they try to a.s.sa.s.sinate my Heir!”

“Your Majesty, this men are sis.h.i.+ – they do not have ident.i.ties.” Situ’s face was his usual mask of calm.

“Even if they are sis.h.i.+, they must have been born and raised somewhere! Chief Fang, I want you and the Duke to investigate the matter thoroughly!”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

The Emperor turned to the Heir. “My son, are you injured?”

The Heir shook his head. “I am fine, Father. I was only thankful that my two attendants had defended me to their deaths, just in time for the Duke to arrive with his men.” The 7th Prince looked at the carnage on the floor, trying to calm his racing heart. The Emperor a.s.sessed the bodies, and looked at Situ again, confused by what he saw.

“Tell me, what was the situation when you arrived at the scene? Why are none of the a.s.sailants captured alive?”

Situ’s face remained static. “The two attendants had just been killed when I arrived at the scene, and there were only a few bodies on the floor. There were more than twenty men surrounding the Heir, and some of them fled the scene immediately when we arrived. I had tried to capture the remaining a.s.sailants alive, but committed suicide by ingesting a poisonous pill implanted in their mouths2 while I was preoccupied with the safety of the Heir. This was an error on my part, your Majesty. Please punish me for my mistake.”