Chapter 234

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Protagonists:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Shanglin Park was first built in the pre-Qin era, expanded in this dynasty, its range spanning Chang'an City and covering over ten counties, with seventy detached palaces constructed within, containing countless mountain forests, receiving eight rivers, and raising hundreds of beasts.

This place was not only used for hunting, but also for planting rare and exotic trees, and for drilling troops and training naval forces; in the past, Marquis Changping often trained troops here, and the Son of Heaven himself would come to watch.

Because it combined entertainment, politics, and military affairs and other multiple meanings, when receiving foreign envoys, this place would also be chosen, making it a place that truly displayed the weight of national prestige and the grandeur of its bearing.

This time the Emperor led the ministers to arrive, staying in the Yu Suo and being arranged in turns, after finishing the evening banquet, the sky had already turned completely dark, and palace attendants were still busily coming and going.

Before the hunt officially began, according to ritual customs, sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, and the Mountain Spirit had to be performed first, to pray for a successful autumn hunt and favorable weather.

This sacrifice was an extremely important grand sacrifice, and the Empress, Emperor, and ministers all had to attend in person. Starting from early morning the next day, officials of the Taichang Temple and the Witches of the Shrine came and went around the Altar, making all kinds of preparations for the evening sacrifice.

The ancient Altar that had existed since the Qian Chao stood tall, and amidst the howling mountain wind, it was as if the old chants of pre-Qin witches echoed back, with faint traces of an ancient and heavy legacy still remaining.

The offerings required for the sacrifice were carried in, and the sacrificial animals that had been slaughtered were all cleaned clean; the wind rang the witch bells, and the witches performed the final sacrificial dance behind the Altar to communicate. More than a hundred witches all wore dark green witchcraft attire and wore the same blue ghost masks, but only one person wore a wide Choose Yi Zhu Chang, with a golden four-eyed deity mask on their head and face, holding colorful feathers, and a yellow-white bird circled around them without leaving.

Rui Ze led a group of guards past, and only looked toward that special figure wearing Choose Yi Zhu Chang.

A cold smile flashed in his eyes, his eyes half-lowered, all looking down upon.

No matter how powerful the witch, no matter how unshakable the heavenly secrets, in the end they had to act by the Son of Heaven's order and perform sacrificial rites for the Emperor.

This was the human world, the Human Emperor was supreme, all things bowed down, whether she was a Wu Nu or possessed heavenly secrets, she was no more than a minister of the Emperor.

Rui Ze's gaze inch by inch passed over that Choose Yi Zhu Chang, accompanying each step he took, to him it seemed like some kind of orderly countdown about to break free from a threat.

Rui Ze wanted to take people into the mountain.

He had claimed yesterday that his injuries had healed, and voluntarily accompanied the imperial carriage, his attitude more respectful than before, looking as if he knew his wrongs and also knew fear.

Attentively accompanying the imperial carriage all the way, today he even proposed to personally enter the mountain to scout ahead for His Majesty, check the situation in the mountain, and clear obstacles along the journey.

This matter naturally had the Imperial Guard to do it; in the eyes of outsiders, his posture was nothing more than showing goodwill and loyalty to the Emperor, just putting on an act. After all, the Emperor was still recuperating from illness and would most likely not personally go into the mountain to hunt at all.

And Rui Ze, who brought people into the mountain with an attitude of utmost loyalty, had two other matters to handle.

Seeing Rui Ze board the carriage and drive into the mountain, an Imperial Guard quickly went to report this to Xue Yang.

Xue Yang, who had once been a Director of the Imperial Secretariat, after being demoted back then, was shuttled around and suppressed to guard the Ye Men. Recently, affected by the Liang Prince's treason case, the Imperial Guard was thoroughly investigated and purged on a large scale, vacating many positions, exactly when personnel were needed. Someone in the court once again recommended Xue Yang, and he was able to return to the City Defense Army. Now under the Commander of the Archery Echo, he served as a Platoon Commander, with a rank of six hundred shi, responsible for guarding the Jingji and the Emperor's travels.

Xue Yang avoided everyone's gaze and went to see Liu Qi: "Your Highness, Rui Ze has indeed gone into the mountain... he must be taking the opportunity for secret talks."

Liu Qi sat behind the desk, raised his head: "Secretly report to the Witch Goddess; she can set out."

Xue Yang responded "Yes," originally wanting to withdraw directly, but couldn't help but say: "Rui Ze is accompanied by over twenty guards, and has temporarily requisitioned crossbows in the name of patrolling... should we also assign some people to protect the Witch Goddess?"

That young Witch Goddess was about the same size as his daughter. Although he did not know her specific arrangements, it really made him feel too anxious.

"Unnecessary," Liu Qi said: "The Witch Goddess has her own arrangements. Do not startle the snake by beating the grass, and obstruct the Witch Goddess's actions."

Hearing these words, and seeing the Sixth Prince so composed, Xue Yang thus thought the Witch Goddess must have sufficient manpower, and said no more, respectfully agreeing and withdrawing.

Tang Jia, kneeling at the lower seat to the side, secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead, only feeling that the wind sounded like cranes crying here. This year's autumn hunt was afraid to become a true hunting ground... he, this truly startled bird, could only secretly hope not to cause too great a disturbance.

Rui Ze rode in a bronze carriage, passing one beast garden after another along the way, as well as beast-fighting arenas and horn-resisting platforms, and also passed the enormous Hu Quan with high walls and iron-clad wooden doors tightly closed.

Shanglin Park had many flying birds and mountain beasts, mostly appearing in the mountain forests. However, tigers were rare treasures and also fierce beasts; to prevent loss of control, they must be kept in enclosures.

Seven or eight fierce tigers were raised in the Hu Quan, for the royal family and nobles to watch, and also for hunting use.

But those who could truly hunt tigers were few and far between. Hunting such fierce beasts was not something one person's strength could accomplish. The process tested the lead hunter's command ability and courage and decisiveness to no less degree than a real battle.

Ordinary nobles entering the mountain to hunt did not have the conditions to bring too many guards. When facing such fierce beasts, they mostly chose to keep a respectful distance.

Since the founding of the dynasty, there had been only two precedents of successfully hunting tigers in Shanglin Park. One was Marquis Lu accompanying the Former Emperor to shoot and kill a large tiger that had just been presented as tribute and went mad in public, injuring people. The other was Ling Ke assisting the Son of Heaven to hunt tigers during the autumn hunt, greatly intimidating the Princes and foreign envoys.

Fierce tigers had been difficult to hunt since ancient times, and those injured or even killed because of hunting tigers were common. To reduce the danger of the autumn hunt as much as possible, the Shanglin Park guards would release a tiger from the Hu Quan several days in advance, drive it to a specific hunting ground, have guards hold blades and crossbows to watch nearby, cut off its food, and first exhaust its physical strength, waiting for the nobles to hunt.

Rui Ze had arrived at the hunting ground outside where the tiger was trapped.

He already had a plan. The Emperor was powerless to hunt personally anymore. Tomorrow he would assist the Crown Prince in hunting and killing this tiger.

The tiger was the king of beasts. Hunting a tiger was the supreme symbol of bravery, even representing a kind of heavenly mandate. The theory of heavenly mandate should not be fabricated only by those people.

Tomorrow, hunting the tiger in broad daylight, the heir apparent would inherit this symbol of heavenly mandate, intimidate the Princes and Officials, and everything thereafter could be completed more smoothly...

This was one link in the plan and must not fail. Tomorrow he would naturally bring the best hunters and archers to accompany him. However, the Crown Prince had a body of gold and jade. To ensure absolute safety, he still needed to make another guarantee. Otherwise, if an omen turned into a curse, it would be a loss outweighing the gain.

Rui Ze stepped down from the bronze carriage. The guards watching the hunting ground hurriedly saluted.

The turmoil in the Imperial Court could not reach the heads of small people. They dared not show the slightest neglect toward Rui Hou, who was still the Emperor's uncle by marriage.

Rui Ze looked into the hunting ground and asked about the tiger's situation.

The guard answering rarely had the opportunity to come into close contact with such a noble person, and his words poured out incessantly for a while.

"This is the most docile and most human-understanding female tiger in the Hu Quan... This tiger lost its mother's nursing shortly after birth and was raised in the arms of a Quan Quan. About three years ago, that Quan Quan was pounced on and bitten by other fierce beasts. This female tiger, to save this person, actually fought and killed beasts of its own kind, actually biting that tiger to death. But that Quan Quan eventually died of severe injuries."

"This tiger can understand some simple human words. Last year it was also driven here for hunting, but no one dared to approach and kill it. It only suffered some arrow grazes and was driven back to the Hu Quan. This year it has been driven here again. It probably thinks it can still come out unharmed, and is even more cooperative than last year."

The guard said with smiling eyes and brows: "This morning it must have been extremely hungry. It even ran to the edge of this hunting ground, lay prostrate on the ground, and scratched its head and face with one paw, begging us for food like a fool!"

He and his companions were amused by the sight. They teased it with tree branches and stones for a while. The tiger growled lowly in dissatisfaction, but only turned and ran back behind the grass bush, showing no intention of truly attacking.

After listening, Rui Ze smiled too. Then he heard the guard flatter him: "Rui Hou is so mighty. Why not accompany His Majesty and the Crown Prince to hunt and kill this tiger tomorrow?"

Looking at the quiet mountain forest hunting ground before him, Rui Ze said: "The Crown Prince is a Dragon Son and naturally has inherited His Majesty's and the Former Emperor's courage and valor. Even if it is just a vigorous fierce tiger, what would Your Highness fear?"

"I happened to hunt a pair of mountain chickens on the way. I will present them to this Mountain Lord as food to slightly replenish its strength."

As Rui Ze spoke, he raised his hand, and the guards behind him immediately brought forward two blood-dripping mountain chickens.

The watching guard hesitated slightly, then hurriedly smiled and accepted and flattered.

These nobles always had a fondness for feeding fierce beasts, as if they could satisfy some other kind of desire for power from it.

Another guard blew a specially made bone whistle. The whistle's sound was similar to the cry of a young tiger. Female tigers were easily attracted by it. Also, because the whistle was often used as a feeding signal in the Hu Quan, after the whistle was blown, there was soon movement in the grass bush.

The great tiger that had been refused food this morning did not immediately leap from the grass bush, but first observed and distinguished for a moment.

The mottled tiger body hid in the half-withered yellow grass bush, a pair of tiger eyes shot out, Rui Ze felt a chill behind his back, and subconsciously wanted to press his blade.

He had also seen tigers, but those were in iron cages at the Shanglin Park imperial banquet; now there was no iron cage to imprison them, and the sudden pressure brought by the king of beasts was enough to arouse the most primal awe.

But this awe passed in a flash, Rui Ze soon recovered, he had guards with strong crossbows around him, this was the externalization of his power, building blades and iron armor for him.

The safety and composure brought by power were highlighted at this moment, such an experience was incomparable, and it became even more impossible for him to let go of this power.

Rui Ze narrowed his eyes, personally threw two mountain chickens into the hunting ground, only to see the fierce beast pounce out, lower its head to bite the two mountain chickens, turn around and drill back into the grass bush to enjoy them.

Rui Ze let out a satisfied laugh, just like other nobles who fed fierce beasts.

The guarding guards also laughed, and flattered him a bit, seeing Rui Ze turn around and leave, they followed a few steps one after another, saluting to see him off.

However, just at this moment, a deafening roar suddenly sounded, everyone turned back in shock, only to see the great tiger return, as if carrying some unbearable anger, with a fierce momentum, rushing and pouncing rapidly!

The incident happened suddenly, the guarding guards could not react in time, the tiger had already rushed through the fence, exposing its yellow sharp teeth, rushing and pouncing to attack the crowd.

Seeing this ferocious appearance, Rui Ze was startled, and in a daze sensed that this tiger was indeed coming for him... it was him who threw those two mountain chickens as food!

This tiger indeed had spirituality, but was not necessarily very tame; since it could bite another tiger to death, it must not be underestimated. To ensure no mistakes in tomorrow's hunt, he had people stuff medicine into the chicken's belly; the medicine was not fatal, but would only make the beast's strength decline... but unexpectedly, this livestock smelled out the abnormality, and instead angered this beast!

Seeing the tiger pounce, Rui Ze retreated in a hurry; the guards had already quickly built thick shields around him in front. After the great tiger knocked down one person, several sharp long spears stabbed out in time. The tiger leaped and swung its tail to dodge, but still had its abdominal fur pierced by the long spear, a bloodstain seeped out. It lowered its body and roared once; just as everyone was intimidated, the great tiger turned and fled, leaping into the dense forest.

"This... ungrateful beast! What madness is this!" The guarding guard was scared out of his wits; not having time to think much, he hurriedly apologized to Rui Ze: "This beast has disturbed the adult, please forgive the adult..."

"Why aren't you hurrying to capture it!" Rui Ze said angrily: "If it weren't for you all only knowing how to talk about tigers for fun, being so careless, negligent and inattentive, how could it have escaped at the right moment—if it affects tomorrow's autumn hunt, even a hundred lives would not be enough for you to compensate!"

The guarding guards responded with trembling voices, hurried to track the traces, and also sent someone to hurriedly get the tools for catching tigers.

Rui Ze suppressed his anger, left two of his own guards, gestured for them to destroy the mountain chickens, and wait here for news.

If this tiger could not be found in time, another tiger would have to be driven into the hunting ground; perhaps some tricks would have to be played in tomorrow's hunt.

Rui Ze mounted the bronze chariot and did not pay too much attention to the accident brought by this livestock; passing by this place was just incidental, another matter was the truly important one.

The person truly responsible for patrolling the mountain forest hunting ground was the Grand Marshal Du Shulin who commanded the Imperial Guard. Rui Ze only needed to follow the agreed-upon path, walking along this curved mountain path, and he would "encounter" him.

The separate palace was full of eyes and ears everywhere; such matters required swift action, and the fewer people who knew, the better. Before the action tonight, a face-to-face secret talk was absolutely necessary to confirm and finalize everything, giving each other a reassurance pill.

The canopy-hung bronze chariot traveled on the mountain path, bumping and swaying. Rui Ze held the cold yellow bronze chariot railing, repeatedly calculating in his heart.

If everything went smoothly tomorrow night, the heir would inherit the mandate of heaven, and the regicide Liu Qi would surely be executed on the spot... As for that little witch, she was no longer a threat. If she could not be tamed by imperial decree, then she would be shattered by strong crossbows, burned by fierce fire, reduced to powder and broken bones.

The "Heavenly Mechanism" could not die, but was covered by a mask for life, serving the gods with his body. As for who was behind the mask, it was naturally up to him to decide.

Thinking about it now, the Zhu Jin Great Sacrifice was not a bad thing. The Liang Guo rebellion would be pacified sooner or later, and the princes and marquises would not dare to act rashly for the time being. This benefited the emperor. Let it be considered a congratulatory gift from the little ghost and little witch who stole the limelight to the new emperor before their deaths.

Rui Ze's gaze swept past the guards riding horses to clear the way ahead, looking at the mountain ridges rising and falling in layers in the mountain mist. A heroic spirit gradually arose in his chest, his body seemed to become boundlessly vast, and he could gradually overlook all things.

Tomorrow's hunt would be the most important and grandest hunt of his life. It must succeed, not fail—no, he had seized the decisive first opportunity. Cheng Er was the legitimate regent heir, with Guo Shi inside and Du Shulin outside. There was absolutely no possibility of failure!

Just as this voice in his heart fell, suddenly unknown arrows attacked from the front side behind the grass and trees.

"Clang—!"

Rui Ze dodged urgently; the arrow scraped past the bronze chariot.

"Retreat!"

Arrows came from the front, and a guard quickly reacted and gave an order, but before the words fell, several arrows from behind broke through the air and approached. Someone on horseback was hit by an arrow, and the horses neighed in fright. In the chaos, the troop rushed into the dense forest on the side. Crossbow arrows continued to fly and shoot. Strangely, the figure of the archer who appeared and disappeared swiftly could not be seen clearly. After such a commotion, the horses fled madly, people abandoned their horses and fell. When the crossbow arrows temporarily stopped, Rui Ze and the others had been forced to mistakenly enter an unknown mountain depression.

The sunken mountain valley was like a natural beast trap. This place was already more than ten li away from the hunting ground where the tiger had been trapped just now. The cry of "assassins" sank like a stone in the sea. Even if it luckily spread out, the surrounding mountain ridges and complex terrain made it difficult for reinforcements to quickly determine the specific location of the cry.

But after the panic, seeing the assassins who appeared, everyone vaguely felt that calling for reinforcements might not be necessary.

To the left of this mountain valley was a high wall; from the grass bushes on the other three sides, three shadows walked out respectively.

Rui Ze, surrounded in the center by twenty elite guards, also held a blade in his hand, looking at the three shadows.

Mountain mist floated, giving the three unknown people an inhuman strangeness. All three wore dark green tight-sleeved robes, with the same bronze crossbows tied on their left arms, and wore different ferocious beast masks. The tallest one seemed to be a youth, holding a Choose Se Chang Dao. Another, with a somewhat unrestrained temperament, held a sharp sword. The last one, standing like a tall bamboo, dragged a black iron stick picked up from somewhere, looking steadily at them.

These three people, with no other accomplices, blocked the three paths respectively, showing a kind of whimsical arrogance, yet also exuding an inexplicable eeriness, as if about to start a special hunt.

?? I can only write up to here today. I spent some length laying the groundwork for writing the tiger because the tiger is also a character with a role. This is a tiger I have wanted to write for a long time.

? Good night, everyone.