Chapter 172: Watch the Tigers Fight, Enter the Imperial Palace

【Wang Shian is dead!】

【Yu Chen's mind churned with countless imagined outcomes—Wang Shian dismissed, or returning to the Wang family—but he never anticipated this violent end, his head severed before the eyes of all.】

【A chill rose from his spine, piercing his heart, making his spirit tremble.】

【In a sudden flash of clarity, he realized: could Lu Chen truly be nothing more than fish on a chopping block, utterly powerless to resist?】

【All know the Emperor's wrath—but who listens to the unspoken grievances of the Young Protector?】

【Yu Chen sighed softly, closing his eyes. The old man seemed even older now—truly, the heavens were about to shift.】

【Daqing faces its greatest upheaval in a hundred years!】

【Wei Gao, detained in the Dalisi, is under the command of a former Lu family subordinate—his safety is nearly assured.】

【Lu Chen's father, Lu Jiaxuan, is imprisoned deep within the Ministry of Justice's iron cells, and behind the Ministry, the southern aristocratic clans are deeply entangled—if they had long been in collusion, Yu Chen dared not imagine…】

【Zhang Lin and Xie Linghao wore calm expressions; after all, Chen Sanzhong—a Grand Master—had slain even the Nine Thousand Years, the most powerful minister in court. What was Wang Shian by comparison?】

【The sword-bearing guards of the Dalisi turned pale, exchanging glances filled with shock and dread.】

【Among them were many martial experts, yet none could fathom Lu Yu's unfathomable cultivation realm.】

【Deng Ping sighed faintly; he had some ties with Wang Yang, and Wang Shian had often accompanied him—grandfather and grandson.】

【An elder burying a younger.】

【But!】

【Better he's dead—it won't drag the Wang family down. If the Wang family's elders learned of this, they'd surely try to "patch the fence after the sheep are lost" and cover it up—but that would truly doom the Wang family!】

【The Lu family's matriarch is Lu Shaobao's soft underbelly—do not touch her.】

【Just as the room's atmosphere grew heavy, hurried footsteps sounded outside.】

【A secretary of the Dalisi burst in, face anxious, and the five-regiment soldiers made no move to stop him.】

【"Your Excellency, an emergency has erupted in the eastern city!"】

【He stepped forward, bowed to Dai Zhong, but hesitated, his eyes darting as if wary.】

【Dai Zhong spoke calmly: "Speak. Such a matter can be hidden only for a moment."】

【The secretary finally stopped hesitating, his voice trembling: "An hour ago, the three thousand elite troops under the Minister of Light and the Commander of the Palace Guards stormed the Eastern Depot—the Eastern Depot… no longer exists."】

【"The Eastern Depot has been destroyed…"】

【At these words, those in the room reacted differently.】

【Deng Ping had suspected it, yet still could not suppress his inner turmoil.】

【Dai Zhong's expression remained unchanged; he merely nodded slightly, as if he had foreseen it.】

【Zhang Lin and Xie Linghao, however, wore unmistakable shock on their faces.】

【Is the capital about to turn upside down today?】

【Yu Chen's eyes widened in disbelief!】

【Within a single day, the Eastern and Western Depots—two pillars of power—vanished into nothingness, leaving all stunned.】

【The Minister of Light and the Commander of the Palace Guards were once the Empress Dowager's most trusted generals, while the Eastern Depot was the Emperor's own sharp blade.】

【Finally… the mask is torn off!】

【Yu Chen's gaze went vacant.】

【The secretary, still anxious, added: "There's something even more urgent! The Golden Guard and the City Gate Commanders have clashed violently in the eastern city—each side has deployed four thousand troops, and they've already breached the Imperial Palace!"】

【At these words, the entire room was stunned.】

【Yu Chen's head rang with a deafening roar—both imperial guards had stormed the palace at once? This was beyond fantasy!】

【His heart trembled with horror as he muttered: "Is this rebellion? When did the Daqing Imperial City become so unstable?"】

【Behind the screen, three women were equally shocked.】

【Though palace coups had occurred in Daqing's history, they always happened during imperial succession—not now.】

【Emperor Zhou Zhen still reigns, with no sign of power transfer—this is extraordinarily rare.】

【The room froze. The occasional wind outside, and the shouts of civilians being driven away from the Imperial Palace Guard's compound, drifted in.】

【Each held their own thoughts!】

【"This is going to be huge," Zhang Lin whispered, her voice trembling slightly.】

【Just as tension reached its peak…】

【A eunuch rushed in, clutching a golden arrow—the Chief Eunuch of the Empress Dowager's court, his face tense as he addressed Deng Ping:】

【"General Deng, by the Empress Dowager's command, I bring the golden arrow—order you to lead the Five Regiments back to the palace to rescue the Emperor!"】

【The moment the words left his lips—】

【Jiao He returned, right behind him.】

【This Deputy Head of the Eastern Depot, the Commandant of Punishments, strode in, glaring at the Chief Eunuch—he had arrived too late.】

【Jiao He's face was anxious; he pulled a royal decree from his sleeve and bowed respectfully to Deng Ping:】

【"Commandant Deng, the Emperor's decree has arrived—the situation is dire. Please return to the palace at once to rescue His Majesty!"】

【Their sudden intrusion shattered the silence, drawing every eye to them.】

【Rescue the Emperor!】

【At this critical juncture, the conflict between Emperor and Empress Dowager had become irreparable!】

【At this moment, the southern aristocratic clans became the very prize both sides scrambled to win over—a silent battle began.】

【Deng Ping's Northern Army Five Regiments would decide the outcome.】

【Deng Ping remained calm, watching the two men.】

【Jiao He spoke urgently: "Commandant Deng, the Emperor is now trapped. As loyal ministers, how can we stand idle? We must do everything to free him!"】

【The Chief Eunuch would not yield: "General Deng, the Empress Dowager has always favored you, treating you as her confidant. At this critical moment, how can you forget her kindness and turn to another?"】

【"General Deng, you may decide after all is settled. The Empress Dowager says: as long as you do not intervene today, you will have done great service."】

【Even after losing the Western Depot, the Empress Dowager's power still outweighs the Emperor's.】

【Deng Ping did not hurry—he smiled.】

【He turned his gaze to you, and asked slowly: "Shaobao, what do you think?"】

【Jiao He and the Chief Eunuch were stunned, unable to believe it.】

【Deng Ping's question carried hidden meaning.】

【All eyes turned back to you, awaiting your reply.】

【Yet you said nothing.】

【Dai Zhong interjected, breaking the silence: "Wei Master is already safe—I saw him today."】

【Wei Yue's tears flowed—her father was free.】

【You nodded slightly—you knew who he meant.】

【The Eighth Prince has arrived in the capital!】

【"As for Marshal Lu," Dai Zhong paused, looking at you, "Shaobao, you know his nature—he's already gone to the palace."】

【Lu Yu smiled: "Brother, go to the palace. It's been years since I last went."】

【"See Father!"】

【Yu Chen, hearing this, could no longer make sense of the situation—forces kept arriving one after another.】

【Behind the screen, the three women listened intently.】

【They felt the capital was about to be reborn!】

【Daqing was about to change masters.】

【Xie Lingxuan recalled her father's words that morning, as he left in his robe: "Who sits on the throne doesn't matter. Today's just a storm—Lingxuan, go home early. Don't worry your mother!"】

【"Father… did he know all along?"】

【Zou Shuning looked at the men in the room—each a man whose footstep shook the capital—and wondered: why do they value you so much? What is your true leverage?】

【Deng Ping understood—he saw the situation clearly, knew the stakes.】

【The Emperor brought the Shaobao to the capital hoping he'd pit the Empress Dowager against the southern clans—let them devour each other.】

【But now…】

【The Shaobao sits on the mountain, watching the tigers fight.】

【Lu Chen, the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, Xie Chunan, the Eighth Prince, the southern aristocratic clans—so many forces.】

【The Northern Army Commandant Deng Ping smiled—he did not yet know who would emerge victorious.】

【All will be revealed within the palace today.】

(End of Chapter)