The Purple Imperial Hall in the Northern Yan Palace
Murong Min reclined in the resplendent hall, propping his elbow on the armrest of the dragon throne. He slowly and languidly opened his eyes.
"The Prince of Yuzhang and the Queen have been in Danyang City for quite some time. Now all the news from Danyang City has been cut off. I told you to investigate. Is there any new information?"
On the cold marble floor knelt Hua Yin, a trusted secret agent of Murong Min.
The leader of the Blood Drops, the intelligence department of the Northern Yan, a department used by Murong Min to secretly investigate the secrets of court officials' mansions. It was omnipresent and unscrupulous.
As long as it was something Murong Min wanted to know, Hua Yin would find a way to get the information. Many officials in the court had suffered because of this department.
This man had deep - set eyes, a gaunt face, and a hawk - like nose. Just a glance was enough to tell that he was no good. He exuded a fierce aura all over.
Hua Yin lowered his head. "Your Majesty, I've sent several teams to investigate, but Danyang City has been sealed off. The people under the Prince of Yuzhang are guarding it very strictly. Only a very few people can sneak into the city."
Murong Min sneered. "So you're telling me that you can't handle this matter?"
Hua Yin quickly replied, "Your Majesty, that's not what I meant.
What I mean is that most of the spies who sneaked into the city were either dead, injured, or infected with the plague.
I guess that the Prince of Yuzhang and the Queen may also be deeply troubled by this chaos. That's why the Prince of Yuzhang failed to send out any news."
Murong Min sat up a bit straighter.
"This Prince of Yuzhang didn't obey my orders very well when he was fighting in the Western Liao. Now it seems that his old problem has resurfaced after he went to Danyang City!"
Hua Yin's dark - purple lips moved slightly. He cast a gloomy look at the emperor.
"Your Majesty, the Prince of Yuzhang has always been overbearing in his actions. Danyang City has lost contact with the imperial capital. I wonder if he and the Queen..."
Murong Min shot a cold look at him. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Hua Yin smiled. "What I mean is that Danyang City is on the border between the Northern Yan and the Southern Chu. The Queen, Lady Dugu, has also gone to this border area, and the South Gate has never been breached...
I'm just suspicious. Did the Queen from the Southern Chu offer some conditions to the Prince of Yuzhang?"
Murong Min stood up from the dragon throne, with one hand behind his back. He paced back and forth in the hall for a few steps.
"My Queen is just a weak girl under twenty years old. She likes a life of luxury and pleasure all day long. She's used to the noble life of a princess. I'm afraid that when she went to Danyang City, she just hid in the house and didn't dare to step out.
The Prince of Yuzhang came from the military camp. All his glory and wealth were given by me.
If he dares to make any deal with my Queen during this trip to Danyang City and fails to breach the South Gate, when he comes back, I'll surely make him fall from a high place into the dust and be smashed to pieces."
Hua Yin said, "If Your Majesty is still worried, I'll go there myself. I'll surely find out the news from Danyang City for Your Majesty."
Murong Min helped him up and patted the dark - purple robe on his body. He said with a half - smile,
"You've really worked hard. But this time when you go, finding out the news is secondary. You should find an opportunity to open the South Gate and let the plague spread into the Southern Chu. Once you complete the task, when you return, I'll surely reward you handsomely."
Hua Yin bowed his head, with the corners of his thin lips curving up. "I obey your order, Your Majesty. I'll set off today."
Just as Hua Yin was about to leave, Murong Min suddenly asked, "Last time I told you to investigate the matter of the silver that was ten times more than usual being allocated to Danyang City. Do you have any new information?"
Hua Yin frowned and shook his head without confidence. "Please forgive my incompetence, Your Majesty. I still haven't found any clues."
Previously, Dugu Luanyue was worried that Huo Wei would be trapped in Danyang City because of the material support issue, so she secretly changed the amount of silver on the memorial.
The official in charge of allocating funds in the Ministry of Revenue happened to be one of Huo Wei's people. As soon as he received the memorial, he didn't delay for a moment and quickly sent the silver to Danyang City.
Dugu Luanyue had done it so skillfully that Murong Min suspected everyone and sent many people to investigate, but until now, there was not a single clue.
...
Huo Wei's dark eyes, as sharp as a hawk's, stared down at Danyang City at the foot of the mountain. He was concentrating on all the movements below.
As long as he was awake, he almost always stared down here, motionless like a mountain rock.
Around dusk on the third day, he finally saw a small group of horsemen appear outside Danyang City.
These black - clothed men threw grappling hooks with ropes towards the city gate, trying to climb over it.
Huo Wei sneered and whispered, "I've finally waited for you."
After saying that, he turned around and left the place where he had been observing the movements in the city. He quickly walked back to the camp and began to muster the troops.
Dugu Luanyue had just finished inquiring about the situation in the city and checking all the supplies. She estimated in her heart that things in Danyang City had to be speeded up. If it went on like this, the supplies would surely not be enough.
She was standing in the camp. When she turned around, she saw Huo Wei getting ready to leave. "Are you going into the city?"
Huo Wei nodded. "Yes."
Dugu Luanyue pulled him aside and asked, "Didn't you say that we should wait for the news from Military Advisor Shen? Now there's no news yet. Why are you taking action in advance?"
Huo Wei began to check if there were any flaws in his attire. He bent down to pick up the long sword leaning against the tree and said seriously,
"There may be something wrong in the city. I have to go and check. Shen Guilan is just an amateur. And he's completely focused on the prescription. We can't be careless."
Dugu Luanyue patted his arm and whispered, "Okay, you go first. I'll watch over all the troops hidden in the Xianyun Mountains for you."
Huo Wei nodded slightly, mounted his horse, and left in a hurry.
Dugu Luanyue looked up at his brave and swift back. She couldn't help but sigh in her heart.
Huo Wei was a man of loyalty and honor. She had underestimated him before.
Sheng Yunqi, who was standing on one side of the tent, also saw this scene. He saw Dugu Luanyue staring at Huo Wei's departing back, as if rooted to the spot.
His elegant white robe fluttered in the mountain wind. His handsome and gentle eyebrows drooped. It seemed that something in his heart was slowly shattering.
He was thinking about what he should do. But... where was he inferior to that Huo Wei, who came from a humble background, had no etiquette or rules, and had a bloody hand?
Two days passed. Dugu Luanyue carefully counted the days. It had been two whole days, and there was no news from Huo Wei since he entered Danyang City.
She felt uneasy. She herself went to the place where Huo Wei had observed the movements in the city and stood there.
At that time, the smog in Danyang City was almost gone. A strong wind blew, and the smoke had dispersed a lot.
Aunt Meijiang walked over at this time and reported, "Your Ladyship, the people of the Phoenix Feather Guards have gone to inquire, but there's not a single bit of news about the Prince of Yuzhang and Military Advisor Shen."
Dugu Luanyue frowned and looked over in confusion. "They're clearly in the city. How could there be no news at all?"