Chapter 265: Heavenly King Laozi Can't Save Chen Yan, But Grand Marshal Yuwen Heng and His Imperial Guard Can

In the sunlight, a squad of Xuan Armor cavalry swept in like a black torrent, dust rising from the hooves, and at the head, a man in silver armor with a jade sash—Grand Marshal Yuwen Heng.

He tightened his reins, the White Horse he rode reared up, snorting loudly, and behind him the imperial guard cavalry had already split into several units, horse lances angled, forming a tight encirclement.

Encircling the Prince of Yan's mansion guards in the center.

The cold glint of the horse lances under the autumn sun flashed with a chilling sheen, adding a more lethal aura than the blades and weapons in both sides' hands.

Yuwen Heng?!......... Yuwen Lun stared at the imposing man on the White Horse, and hurriedly shouted to his guards, "All stop!"

Immediately, he stepped forward quickly and asked, "Cousin, why have you come?"

Not only did he arrive, but he also brought so many imperial guard cavalry.....

"I have the honor of seeing the Grand Marshal!"

On Chen Yan's face there was no hint of surprise; facing the direction where Yuwen Heng stood, he was the first to bow respectfully.

"I have the honor of seeing the Grand Marshal!"

Li Tan, Yin Shizhi and the members of the Mingjing Office followed closely, bowing respectfully.

Only the Prince of Yan's guards, who had just been in a standoff, were left stunned in place, unsure whether to bow....

"Everyone, no need to bow!"

Yuwen Heng turned and dismounted, raising his hand.

"Thank you, Grand Marshal!"

A playful smile curled at Chen Yan's mouth, and his peripheral glance fell on someone whose expression was extremely complicated.

"You ask how this king arrived?"

Yuwen Heng narrowed his eyes, looked at Yuwen Lun, and Yan Yuesè vanished in an instant, then blurted out, "If this king does not come, will His Highness the Prince of Yan lead troops and overturn the Mingjing Office?"

"I dare not!"

Yuwen Lun lowered his head and said in a deep voice.

There's no way; the situation is stronger than a person, even if it costs face publicly, we have to bow our heads.....

After all, the one who came is the Grand Marshal, the second head of the Imperial Clan, wielding military authority, and crucially brought so many imperial guards.

"Dare not?"

Yuwen Heng curled his lip, let out a cold snort, and retorted, "Who just said that even if Heavenly King Laozi came, he couldn't save A Yan?"

Heavenly King Laozi may be powerless, but Grand Marshal Yuwen Heng and his imperial guard can!

"Ha.... haha.... just now... I was just joking with Chief Chen!"

Yuwen Lun forced an awkward smile, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, and forced an explanation.

He paused, then continued, "Cousin, Chief, please don't take it seriously!"

"Prince, your order to attack just now is still ringing in my ears!"

Chen Yan smiled calmly, enjoying the spectacle, and interjected, "Look at the guards you brought; each has drawn their weapons....."

"That's not a joke!"

He said this while raising his hand, thoughtfully pointing.

"Misunderstanding, all misunderstandings!"

Yuwen Lun twitched his mouth, gave an awkward apologetic smile, glared at the leader of his imperial guard, signaling to sheath their weapons, and explained, "This king was just acting on a whim, wanting to test the Mingjing Office's combat strength for Your Majesty, to see if they were slacking....."

His words fell.

He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Fortunately his mind worked quickly, devising this excuse, which was barely enough to get by.....

But Chen Yan had no intention of letting the Prince of Yan off, and turned toward the growing crowd of onlookers, laughing, "But everything that just happened was witnessed by the surrounding townsfolk....."

"Prince, you may have fooled the Grand Marshal, fooled me, but you cannot deceive the countless citizens of Chang'an!"

"Their eyes are all crystal clear!"

Chen Yan's voice rose with increasing fervor, full of emotion.

Want to retreat completely?

Then I, Chen, am not that, so is this a futile move?

Finally caught a fool!

"Chen Yan, you're being scheming!"

Yuwen Lun looked in the indicated direction, froze in shock, and gritted his teeth, saying.

At that moment, the Prince of Yan finally realized he had fallen into a trap.....

How could there be townsfolk around the notoriously infamous Mingjing Office?

Probably everything was pre‑planned!

The city's schemes run deep; he wishes to return to the countryside.....

"How could that be?"

Chen Yan shrugged, his face unchanged, and said with righteous firmness, "I have always been upright and sincere, from beginning to end I have only offered good counsel!"

What is scheming?

He only invited the people of Chang'an to watch a rare good show!

"Zhao Liangbi!" Yuwen Heng called out expressionlessly.

"Present." Imperial Guard commander Zhao Liangbi stepped out of the ranks and replied.

"Take people to disarm and detain the Prince of Yan's guards!"

"Understood."

Zhao Liangbi nodded, immediately ordering his imperial guard to act.

But those guards belong directly to the Prince of Yan, loyal to Yuwen Lun; a peaceful disarmament is impossible, and the standoff continues.

"King Yan, are you planning to fight here in front of the Chang'an citizens and completely discard the royal family's face?"

Yuwen Heng, seeing this, glanced at Yuwen Lun with some displeasure and asked in a deep voice repeatedly: "Do you still think your guards can stop the Imperial Guard I have brought?"

Mixed up… Yuwen Lun heard that, muttered resentfully in his heart, then reluctantly spoke: "Put down the Weapons!"

"Cooperate with the Imperial Guard!"

Those brief nine words were incredibly hard to say.

Yet there was no choice but to…

If we truly fight, we wouldn't be opponents.

It would be a total disgrace!

With the King Yan's order, the disarmament and detention of his guards proceeded extremely smoothly.

"That's right!"

Yuwen Heng nodded satisfactorily and laughed: "Realizing one's waywardness and repenting suddenly is the only way to receive a lenient sentence…"

"Send people, in the name of this Chief, to disperse the onlooking citizens!" Chen Yan gestured, summoned You Xian, and ordered.

Having said that, he gave him a look.

Signaling him to also spread the next wave of public opinion.

"Yes."

You Xian understood, nodded, and led several embroidered‑cloak envoys to carry it out.

"Let's go!"

Yuwen Heng lightly patted Yuwen Lun's shoulder and said, "Don't you want to enter the Mirror Hall?"

"I, the King, will take you inside!"

Chief Hall.

Yuwen Heng sat at the main seat, Chen Yan stood to his left, while Yuwen Lun stood trembling on the opposite side.

"A Lun, do you know your crime!" Yuwen Heng cleared his throat and asked directly.

"I know I was wrong; my mind was heated, a moment of confusion…"

Yuwen Lun's body trembled; he bowed, clasped his fists, and respectfully said, "Please, elder cousin, plead with the Grand Tomb Governor on my behalf!"

At that moment, the King Yan realized the consequences of his previous actions and began to feel dread…

Weren't you supposed to hurry and deliver the evidence?

"Too late!"

Yuwen Heng lifted his eyes, gave a light hum, and said: "I, the King, have not only brought the Imperial Guard but also the Grand Tomb Governor's hand edict…"

Speaking, he took it out from his bosom.

Yuwen Heng arrived so timely, and even had Yuwen Hu's hand edict??? … Even a dim‑witted Yuwen Lun sensed something fishy, realizing it was likely a trap, and asked trembling, "How does the Grand Tomb Governor intend to deal with me?"

Yuwen Heng unfolded the hand edict and read: "King Yan Lun, being of the royal clan, shows no intention to serve the nation, yet secretly recruits merchants, smuggles and colludes with enemies for profit. After destroying the Mirror Hall, he still does not repent, and leads his guards to brazenly besiege the Mirror Hall. His crimes are countless…"

"Thus, strip his royal title and demote him to a commoner!"