Chapter 641: Attack Is the Best Defense!

Jinyang.

The night shed the scorching heat of day, yet still wrapped in an unrelenting humidity.

The evening breeze carried the scent of late‑blooming purple jasmine from beneath the palace wall, mingled with the mist from the distant Fen River, and drifted heavily over Huangcheng's vermilion Damen.

The gilt copper lanterns on both sides of the palace gate burned brightly, their flickering flames casting alternating light and shadow on the beast‑head gate ring.

In the lantern light stood two rows of spear‑bearing palace guards; their armor plates clinked occasionally in the night wind, producing a delicate crack that made the palace at this third watch feel even more tranquil and solemn.

Prince of Anding Ku Di Gan pulled the Horse Rein, and his close attendant immediately stepped forward to seize the horse's head; as the horse's hooves struck the Qingshi Shiban and the echo faded, he leapt down.

In his forties, his military background showed no sign of fading; his towering, iron‑tower build and broad shoulders kept the Purple Robe impeccably straight, a jade belt cinched around his waist bound the gilt ornaments, and the dangling jade pendant swayed lightly with his movements, yet could not conceal the fierce aura surrounding him.

His temples were still damp with night dew and a thin sweat from travel, and a few strands of black hair at his temples were ruffled by the wind.

He lifted his hand to wipe his face casually, and as he raised his eyes he saw three figures in the shadow of the palace gate, all clad in Purple Robe, each a current high‑ranking minister, evidently summoned in the dead of night.

Ku Di Gan halted his steps, then strode forward, clasping his fists to his chest, and in a deep voice said, "Brother Lou, Brother Duan, Brother Hu Lu!"

His voice carried the deep, resonant timbre typical of a soldier, standing out clearly before the silent palace gate.

The three turned their heads at the sound, saw Ku Di Gan, and all clasped their fists in return.

Lou Ting, whose age matched Ku Di Gan's, was in his early forties; the Purple Robe on him added an air of refinement, though his long beard hung slightly, and his brows bore the composure of a civil official.

Duan Xiang, just over thirty, was the youngest among them; the Purple Robe highlighted his upright bearing, his handsome face was restrained, and his eyes concealed a maturity beyond his years.

Hu Lu Gong, also in his forties and from a military family, was not as massive as Ku Di Gan but was still lithe; beneath his Purple Robe one could glimpse the firm shoulders of a martial practitioner, and a killing aura radiated from him.

In unison they said, "Brother Ku Di!"

After the salute, they all turned their gaze toward the palace shrouded in night.

The palace walls towered into the clouds, the Blue Bricks and dark tiles gleamed with a cold, hard luster under the moon, and the inner palaces rose layer upon layer.

Only a few halls were lit, like stars in the dark night, yet they exuded an indescribable oppression.

The evening wind swept by, stirring the banners on the palace walls; the rustling sound was fine and added further gravity.

Ku Di Gan withdrew his gaze, glanced at the palace gate, furrowed his brows slightly, and in a deep voice asked, "You say Your Majesty summoned us at this hour to appear before him; what could the purpose be?"

His words carried a hint of doubt.

The current high ministers gathering at midnight was no small matter, especially at this third watch when not even a whisper of wind had passed.

Lou Ting, upon hearing this, slowly raised his hand to smooth his long beard, his brows furrowing tighter, leaned in a few steps, and lowered his voice to a whisper as if fearing others might hear, "I think it is highly possible, because of the matter of the Third Prince…".

As those words left his mouth, the surrounding air seemed to thicken.

The Third Prince Gao Changjing, one of Your Majesty's most beloved sons, was accomplished in both civil and martial arts, kind‑hearted, and was entrusted with great expectations; officials and commoners alike praised him.

No one had imagined that his covert mission in Zhou State would end in death far from home, his remains never returning to the Court.

Hu Lu Gong, upon hearing this, immediately nodded, his eyes heavy with gravity, let out a light sigh, and said, "I thought the same!"

After speaking, a deep regret colored his brows, and beneath that regret lay an unrestrained hatred; his gaze toward Zhou State was cold.

Now the streets and alleys of Jinyang have already spread the news of the Third Prince, all of it negative commentary.

The populace argued endlessly, and even the Court was scolded along with them…

Duan Xiang stood aside, first responding heavily, "Hmm."

Then he slowly exhaled, the sigh full of helplessness and sorrow, and in a deep voice continued, "Your Majesty is ultimately a father; the Third Prince, so outstanding, was a pillar of Great Qi. His death in Zhou State, with no remains, will surely make Your Majesty's dragon‑like visage blaze with fury!"

As a senior minister of the Court, how could he not know the weight the Third Prince held in Your Majesty's heart?

With such tragic news arriving, Your Majesty was surely already grief‑stricken, and the midnight summons must be to discuss the aftermath.

Ku Di Gan, after listening, shook his head heavily, his face full of incredulous pain; recalling the rumors he had heard, his voice trembled slightly, then he clenched his teeth and said, "Moreover, he was still alive when six horses tore his body apart…".

"Those bandits of Zhou State are so cruel!"

Being from a military background, he had seen countless battlefield carnage, yet never imagined such a torture existed in the world, let alone inflicted upon a prince of a nation.

Such humiliation was not only the Third Prince's suffering but also a profound disgrace to Great Qi.

Lou Ting narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within, leaned toward the others, and in an even lower voice, each word clear, said, "I have heard that Zhou State even sought out, and many men assaulted the Third Prince…".

"Such despicable conduct is downright hair‑raising!"

As those words left his mouth, the others' faces changed dramatically, their eyes filled with even greater sorrow and anger.

Duan Xiang clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening, and Hu Lu Gong's raging aura surged; had they not been at the palace gate, he might have roared in anger.

Hu Lu Gong inhaled deeply, suppressing the fire in his heart, raised his hand to point at the palace gate, and in a grave tone reminded, "Now that it has come to this, further talk is useless; we should hurry to appear before Your Majesty!"

"Lest Your Majesty be kept waiting long!"

The other three, upon hearing this, all nodded, stifling the surge of emotions within, and in a deep voice replied, "Let's go!"

Then the four said no more, straightened their Purple Robes, and with solemn expressions walked toward the palace gate.

The palace guards before the gate had already received orders; seeing the four approach, they stepped aside without a summons.

The massive palace gate was slowly pushed open a crack, revealing the interior lights and a denser oppressive atmosphere.

The four entered in single file, walking along the palace corridor paved with Blue Bricks; palace lanterns on either side lit up in succession, stretching their silhouettes tall before quickly dimming behind them.

The night wind passed through the ancient cypresses beside the corridor, rustling, and intertwined with the distant night‑watch drums, emphasizing the deep‑night loneliness.

As they proceeded, occasional night‑patrolling eunuchs and guards, light on their feet and respectful in demeanor, saw the four bow and salute, daring not utter a word, evidently aware that tonight's palace atmosphere was unusual.

Not long after, the four arrived outside a hall; this hall was not the usual place for state affairs but rather a spot for rest and discussion.

Outside the hall, bright lights shone, and from a distance one could see several eunuchs stationed at the hall doors, all holding their breath and concentrating, daring not to slack.

The lead eunuch, seeing the four arrive, hurried forward, his face full of respect, gesturing a polite invitation, and in a gentle yet cautious voice said, "Esteemed gentlemen, please this way!"

"Your Majesty has been waiting inside the hall for a long time!"

The four, upon hearing this, all nodded, their expressions growing more solemn, gave the eunuch a slight nod, and proceeded straight into the hall.

The massive hall doors were slowly pushed open by the eunuch, and a strong scent of dragon‑scented incense flooded the air, dispelling the night's humidity but also pressing so heavily that one could barely breathe.

Inside the hall, bright lights shone; the dazzling candlelight illuminated the hall as if it were daylight, yet not a hint of warmth penetrated the hall's oppressive stillness.

Only Emperor Gao Ying sat calmly at the main table in the hall, dressed in a dark common robe, a jade‑inlaid belt at his waist, his once‑imperious visage now shrouded in gloom.

His brows were tightly knit, his eyes churned with grief and anger that could not be restrained, and his surrounding Air Pressure was frighteningly low.

The desk held an opened letter, which must have been the urgent report of the Third Prince's death.

Standing beside Emperor Qi were two people.

One was Cui Yishu, dressed in a Purple Robe, tall and steady, a trusted senior minister of Emperor Qi; at this moment he bowed his head, his expression respectful, though a hint of worry lingered in his eyes.

The other was the twenty‑something Crown Prince Gao Xiaoyu, wearing the Crown Prince's exclusive vermilion formal attire, his handsome face bearing a resemblance to the Third Prince Gao Changjing.

Yet now his complexion was pale, his eyes filled with sorrow, his hands hanging at his sides, fists clenched tightly.

Ku Di Gan and the three others entered the hall; as soon as their steps ceased, they all bowed toward Emperor Qi on the main seat and the Crown Prince beside him, their voices reverent and solemn echoing in the quiet hall: "We, your servants, request an audience, Your Majesty!"

"We, your servants, request an audience, His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Gao Ying sat behind the desk, his gaze heavy as it swept over the four, and after a long pause he slowly raised his hand, waved it, his voice hoarse with grief: "No need for formalities."

His tone was full of fatigue, yet still bore the majesty of an emperor.

Then he pointed to the seats placed before the desk and said gravely: "Sit."

The four, hearing this, bowed again and in unison replied: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Then each found a seat and sat down; Cui Yishu also took a vacant seat on one side, while Crown Prince Gao Xiaoyu remained standing beside Emperor Qi, not taking a seat.

As they sat, the slightly cool rosewood chair brushed their garments, and Ku Di Gan, Lou Ting, Duan Xiang, and Hu Lu Gua simultaneously lifted their eyes, their gazes like torches swiftly scanning Gao Ying's solemn face.

The four pairs of eyes briefly met in the air, needing no words, only a silent consensus:

"Your Majesty's face truly bears a layer of chilling frost!"

Lou Ting's fingertips unconsciously curled, the Purple Robe's cuff hanging lightly; facing Gao Ying's eyes that seemed to contain ice blades, a chill rose from his spine, and he glanced silently at the few beside him, his gaze heavy with worry: "This gloom is so chilling it could freeze a person to death!"

Ku Di Gan's brows furrowed slightly, his coarse fingers resting on his knee; his gaze lingered on Gao Ying's tightly pressed lips and trembling fingertips before exchanging a look with Hu Lu Gua.

Both, being former soldiers, understood best the raging fury beneath this gloom, and their eyes were equally solemn.

Hu Lu Gua gave a slight nod, his eyes showing a hint of understanding, silently echoing the alarm.

Duan Xiang's gaze swept over the main seat and fell on the Crown Prince Gao Xiaoyu standing beside it; seeing the prince's paper‑white face, his fists clenched until his knuckles turned blue, and the lingering sorrow in his eyes, he thought silently: "His Highness the Crown Prince looks just as ill; he and the Third Prince grew up together, brothers in heart, so his heart must be torn asunder now!"

The candle flames in the hall crackled, casting the expressions of the few in flickering light; the silent eye contact lasted only a moment before each withdrew their thoughts.

They lowered their eyes, waiting quietly for orders, while the oppressive atmosphere in the air grew ever heavier.

Gao Ying slowly leaned against the Dragon Throne, its black brocade cushion, his back still straight, showing no sign of collapse; his deep eyes gradually scanned the hall, from Cui Yishu's composed face, to the tense expressions of the four ministers below, finally resting on the Crown Prince beside him.

He finally got to the point, his voice low as thunder in a night wind, breaking the hall's deathly silence: "Gentlemen, have you heard any news about the Third Prince?"

When those words were spoken, Hu Lu Gua and the others froze, then instinctively exchanged glances, each staring at the other.

The hall fell silent for a moment; Cui Yishu bowed his head and stood aside, saying nothing, waiting quietly for a response.

After a moment, Duan Xiang, the youngest among them, was the first to stand, adjusting the collar of his Purple Robe, bowing and clasping his fist before Gao Ying, his tone earnest and heavy: "Your Majesty, I deeply understand the heart‑piercing grief of losing your son…"

"But the affairs of the state weigh more than a thousand jins; we must not act on impulse!"

As his words fell, the air in the hall grew even more stagnant.

Ku Di Gan and Hu Lu Gua both felt a tightening in their chests, secretly wiping sweat from their brows, fearing that those words might anger the already unsettled emperor.

Who would have thought that Gao Ying, after listening, simply shook his head slowly; his face showed no anger, nor excess grief, only calm, and in a deep voice he said: "Minister Duan, you worry too much!"

His words paused briefly, his face showing unparalleled seriousness, each word resonant, solemnly declaring: "I am first the ruler of Great Qi, then the father of Changjing; the realm and its people come first, and I will not act impulsively out of personal grievance!"

Upon hearing this, Duan Xiang's suspended heart suddenly settled; a thin layer of sweat broke out on his back, and he thought silently: "Fortunately, Your Majesty still retains reason and has not been blinded by this raging anger…"

He quickly bowed again before Gao Ying, his tone tinged with guilt: "I have spoken out of turn, presumptively guessing your will; I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

"No problem." Gao Ying raised his hand in a light gesture, his tone indifferent, without reproach: "Sit down; when ministers and sovereign discuss matters, speaking frankly without reservation is also within our duties."

Duan Xiang expressed thanks, turned and sat, his shoulders relaxing slightly, and Lou Ting beside him quietly gave him a reassuring glance.

Seeing this, Hu Lu Gua's eyes flickered; finally unable to contain his doubt, he blinked and looked toward Gao Ying on the main seat, his tone tentatively deep: "May I ask, Your Majesty and the Crown Prince, why summon us to the palace late at night? What imperial decree do you wish to convey to us?"

These words hit the crux; the others all lifted their eyes, their gazes burning toward Gao Ying, and even Cui Yishu standing nearby slightly raised his head, waiting for the emperor to speak.

Gao Ying inhaled deeply, his chest rising slightly, his gaze sweeping the assembly; his voice, edged with unmistakable coldness, said: "The Western Bandits are ruthless; not only did they cruelly harm Changjing, they also fabricated rumors to defame him, trampling his reputation to nothing!"

"Moreover, this has caused rumors to spread throughout Jinyang, reigniting public anger that had only just been pacified; the populace is inflamed, and the court shows signs of unrest…"

"Gentlemen, what do you think should be done about this?"

When his words fell, everyone in the hall fell into thought; Lou Ting's finger lightly brushed his long beard, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes deep; after a moment he spoke first, his tone steady: "I think we should order officials at all levels in each province, prefecture, and county to act immediately, focusing on guiding and comforting the people, strictly forbidding private gatherings for discussion…"

"…to prevent rumors from further spreading and sowing chaos in people's hearts!"

"Minister Lou's words are spot on!" Ku Di Gan immediately took up the thread, his towering frame leaning slightly forward, his voice deep and powerful: "Your Majesty could also issue an imperial decree, announcing to the world the Third Prince's sincere heart, restoring the Third Prince's name, refuting the Western Bandits' slanders, thereby comforting the prince's spirit in heaven and soothing the people's hearts!"

Duan Xiang, hearing this, nodded repeatedly, his expression growing heavier, raising his hand to press his knee, and in a deep voice affirmed: "Both of your words are indeed correct!"

So he paused, recalling the events at the start of the year: the Northern Border had been thrown into chaos by the Western Bandits and the Tujue joining forces, the people's grievances piled up, and he added: "Earlier this year there were successive upheavals, the treasury is empty, the people's hearts are unsettled…"

"Now we must prioritize gentle stabilization; we must not stir up further turbulence. If rumors cause the people's hearts to waver, it will give the Western Bandits an opportunity, which would be a loss!"

After hearing them, Gao Ying suddenly lifted his head; a deep chill in his eyes shattered, a dazzling glint flashing, his knuckles striking the desk heavily, each word punctuated: "But this is ultimately a superficial fix, not addressing the root, is it?"

When his words fell, the hall was so quiet a pin could be heard; the candle crackled, sparks flaring then fading.

Lou Ting was first startled, then a light throat sound escaped: "This…"

Immediately, his brows tightened, his fingertip twirling his long beard as he slowly nodded and sighed: "Indeed! Such passive defense is ultimately inferior; we never know when the Western Bandits will employ another dirty tactic to disrupt our people's livelihood!"

Hu Lu Gua's palm slammed onto the rosewood desk, the grain sinking under his force; already brimming with battle spirit, he could no longer hold back, and instinctively replied in a deep voice: "Moreover, since ancient times it has been said that offense is the best defense!"

"The Western Bandits have wronged us too much; endless concession only lets them take more!"

"Exactly!"

Gao Ying's eyes glittered brighter; the seated ministers felt the hall's Air Pressure surge suddenly. He lifted his hand, lightly waving his black robe, the wide sleeves sweeping over the urgent report on the desk, his fingertip sharply pointing westward, toward the direction of the Zhou State capital Chang'an, and declared loudly:

"I believe that Great Qi now requires a sweeping military triumph over the Western Bandits, to soothe the restless hearts of court and people, to comfort Changjing's spirit in heaven, and to strike fear into the Yuwen rebels of Chang'an!"