Chapter 118 The Conspiracy 2 (1/2)
Chapter 118 The Conspiracy (2)
Li Ye immediately returned to his residence and summoned Song Jiao, Shangguan Qingcheng, Li Zhen, and the others to discuss the plans for the coup. The plot would be sprung in seven days; there was much work to be allocated to his men.
The contingent of fighters led by Song Jiao comprised of members such as Liu Dazheng and Mo Dongli, all of whom were skilled in combat techniques with powers at Level 8 of the Qi-refining Stage. They would not be useful against Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue individually, but they were nevertheless a powerful force if grouped together.
The 800-strong personal guards that Shangguan Qingcheng commanded would also be crucial to the plan; the guards were adequately equipped and trained for gritting battles. It was too much of a risk to rely only on the Regal Guards, and hence Li Ye would need an army of his own if he was to seize control of the Imperial Palace to watch the gates and other major passages leading in and out of the palace in case they needed a swift retreat.
Li Zhen would be the brains of the entire operation. Li Ye would go through every detail of the coup with him again and again, from top to bottom, to make sure that everything would move as planned like clockwork.
During the discussion behind closed doors, everyone was astonished to hear Li Ye's decision to launch a coup. It was so sudden that none of them had ever expected things to take such a drastic turn. This would be a trial, not only for their abilities, but also their temperament and their loyalties, for the coup was in its foremost a plan to execute the two Lieutenants of the Regal Guards but it could be mistaken as a plot to overthrow the Emperor.
But Song Jiao was not as surprised as the others. She was aware of the assassination attempt upon Li Ye. The Black Office had guardians that safeguarded the wellbeing of Li Ye at all times. It was Li Ye's own decision to not signal for his guardians, and hence they merely stood down as per their orders.
Moreover, there was hardly anything that could surprise Song Jiao since the Battle of Bagong Mountain. It was her who was first to speak. ”The Black Office can have the men ready in three days. Seven at the mid-level of the Qi-refining Stage with another twenty above Level 3 of the Qi-refining Stage.”
With the Prince consent, Song Jiao had never stopped amassing men and resources ever since they came to Chang'an. It was expected that such a day where brute force would be needed and the time has come for the Black Office to show its worth.
”No matter! We'll need everyone who is a Qi-refining cultivator!” Li Ye ordered. He knew that Song Jiao regarded only those above Level 3 to have sufficient fighting strength. But a coup was not a war, and the presence of as many practitioners of the mystic arts would help intimidate any opposition.
”If that's the case, we'll have more than 120 men here,” Song Jiao replied. The Black Office was in no short supply of low-leveled warriors of the Qi-refining Stage.
Most nobles would not have more than 100 practitioners of the arcane arts on their retainer. Even Wang Duo and Lu Yan had only twenty to thirty of such talents. They wanted quality over quantity, moreover having too many practitioners as retainers would demand a large sum of money and resources while also attracting criticism from other quarters.
Unlike the rest, Li Ye had allowed the Black Office to gather as many talents and prodigies as they were able to. He had long foreseen the day where he might require to fight against the Regal Guards.
”How are my guards?” Li Ye asked, looking at Shangguan Qingcheng.
”Your personal guards swear undying fealty to you, Your Highness!” Shangguan Qingcheng declared, his eyes gleaming proudly, ”We have had many Cultivation Pills assigned to our troops ever since you've been made a Prince, Your Highness, and we now have at least eight who are proficient in Qi techniques!”
Li Ye had not the slightest doubt to his personal guards. They swore their allegiances to him and to him alone. They would never desert him even if Li Ye were to openly revolt against the Emperor.
Eight practitioners of Qi techniques might seem paltry in number but their powers would be a great boon in an army especially if used in battle formations. If in an open and broad field, an 800-strong fully equipped army with eight practitioners could give a contingent of fifty Black Office's practitioners at the elementary levels of the Qi-refining Stage a close fight, and it was hard to tell who would win or lose.
Li Ye nodded with approval, and finally gaze at Li Zhen.
Li Zhen immediately asked of Li Ye's plans.
He was a straight-forward person who always had his finger on the crux of the problems.
”The security of Chang'an City is managed by the Regal Guards. But the administration is handled by the Chang'an Office. I can use them to move our troops and warriors out of the Manor and have them hidden in parts of the city which are close to the Imperial Palace. When the signal is given, everyone can storm into the Imperial Palace quickly!”
Li Zhen made some quick calculations quietly before he said suddenly, ”Why are we not using the Xuanwu Gate?”
An attack from the South would require a long way before the resistance fighters could reach the Emperor's chambers. The Xuanwu Gate, being the northern entrance of the Imperial Palace complex, was just near the Sleeping Palace of His Majesty, the Emperor, allowing for quicker results before any opposition could be mounted.
Even the great Li Shimin of old had chosen to attack from the Xuanwu Gate during his own coup.
”This is an oversight of my own...” Li Ye muttered, his eyes twinkling with delight at the proposal.
The discussion and debate continued the entire night as Li Ye and his subjects dissected the plan all over again.
They were joined later in the wee hours of the morning by Li Yan and Tian Lingzi. The two had first returned to Li Yan's residence to make arrangements for their security and the mobilization of his own retainers and troops.
...
Wang Jian sat the front of the barracks, chewing on a bun.
He grew hungry whenever he woke up during this hour, especially he was a great lover of food. He gnawed on his food intently, with a circle of crumbs around his mouth as he continued biting, his eyes glittering with interest as he savored the taste.
The door of the barracks creaked opened and out came Li Maozhen who had just dressed his wounds. He saw Wang Jian sitting on the stone steps and delivered a kick into his hind parts. ”Why are you not asleep, Fatty? Instead, here you are, eating at my doorstep!”
Wang Jian ignored him. He continued chomping on his bun with utmost concentration while mumbling through his full mouth, ”There is a reason for me sitting here.”
”And what are your reasons?” Li Maozhen asked, a dread rearing its head within him even though he tried his best to hide any apprehension.
”I'm still curious. About tonight's assassination attempt.” Wang Jian remarked, still biting on his food.
Li Maozhen did not answer. He sat down beside Wang Jian. As a minor commander of the Regal Guards who had 500 men reporting to him, he enjoyed the privilege of having his own cabin. They sat alone in front of the cabin, with the rest of the guards watching the yard outside.
”Do you know why did the Lieutenant order us to try to assassinate Prince An?” Wang Jian's voice slowly softened that only they could hear each other.
”I care only about my mission, not the intrigues and conspiracies in the Imperial Court,” Li Maozhen remarked dismissively, but a certain urge compelled him to ask, ”Have you noticed anything?”
Wang Jian finished his bun, muttering as he got up, patting the crumbs off his hands, ”A Lieutenant of the Regal Guards wishing death upon Prince An...” He spun and locked Li Maozhen in a stare, ”Have you not heard of the Battle of Bagong Mountain?”
”And what does that have to do with me?” Li Maozhen scoffed.
”Do you think Prince An will merely sit still and wait?” Wang Jian prodded Li Maozhen again.
”I just said, I don't care! The mission has ended! That is all I know!” Li Maozhen growled.
Wang Jian regarded his comrade, revealing a wry smile. ”It has everything to do with you now.”
”What do you mean?”
”Nothing. I just remembered a promise we made to each other.”
”What promise?”
”That we stick together through thick and thin!”
Li Maozhen stopped in his tracks. His face wore a sinister look as he readied himself to strike. ”What thick and thin?”
”Prince An,” Wang Jian merely uttered.
”What do you know?” Li Maozhen hissed, his breath getting heavy and his heartbeat rising.
”Nothing! I only know that Prince An will never sit quietly and wait. Moreover, he is extremely close to Prince Pu, who is widely expected to be made Crown Prince!” Wang Jian paused and smirked. ”The term 'extremely close' is only as provincial as it sounds for common nobility. But the same could not be said for Prince Pu. It bears even more weight that Mount Tai itself!”
”You seem to know Prince Pu well?”
”I only know those that I need to.”
Li Maozhen's taut expression slackened. ”So... You know something, do you?” He smiled bleakly.
”Nope, I don't.”
”You don't?”
”I don't. It's just an intuition.”