Chapter 356: Who Is the Yellow Bird?

Fortunately, the only thing Pei Di could be certain of was that Pei Si had no intention of harming him.

Soon, he realized something was off.

The source of the turmoil didn't seem to be these iron masks?

The imperial clansmen and nobles in the mausoleum were thrown into panic by the sudden turn of events; a group of people suddenly rushed in shouting battle cries, and then another group of iron-masked fighters appeared out of nowhere and clashed with them!

"Come! Guard the emperor!"

The chief eunuch beside the new emperor was so frightened his legs went weak—he had never seen such a scene!

The new emperor seized the empress's hand, gripping it tightly; Qi Shihuai had already rushed to their side, drew his sword and shielded the emperor and empress behind him, and the surrounding palace attendants immediately moved to a safe zone.

The imperial mausoleum was in utter chaos; Qi Shihuai quickly saw that there were two groups of people, and they were likely death warriors.

Two groups of death warriors?!

"Where is the crown prince?" the new emperor asked anxiously, "Is Si'er and the others all right?"

The hastily arriving commander of the imperial guards bowed and reported: "Your Majesty, the crown prince and the third prince are together; those iron-masked fighters seem to be protecting them, the deputy commander is searching for the second prince, but hasn't seen him yet."

"Then find him quickly!" the new emperor shouted angrily.

"Yes!"

The death warriors who had rushed in didn't expect another group to appear suddenly; they could sense the same aura, realizing these iron-masked fighters were also death warriors like themselves!

They numbered only three thousand, but the relentlessly attacking iron-masked fighters were conservatively estimated in the thousands—no, possibly ten thousand! Though the imperial mausoleum is not small, it was packed solid with these ruthless iron-masked fighters!

They too were death warriors, naturally unafraid of battle, and the two sides fought fiercely.

The imperial mausoleum, which should have been tranquil and solemn, was filled with flashing blades and swords, blood flowing like rivers!

Including the new emperor, the imperial clansmen and nobles were quickly arranged to hide in the safe offering hall; Qi Shihuai stood guard outside, unable to leave, he had to ensure the emperor's safety and could only watch the carnage in the mausoleum.

Just what is going on with these two groups?!

So the death warriors he had captured earlier were raised by Pei Si but were not aides of the Deposed Emperor? And now those attacking them are the Deposed Emperor's men?

If that's true, then if it weren't for Pei Si's death warriors arriving in time, today's new emperor would have been lucky to escape with his life.

Who would have thought the capital hid so many death warriors...

Before him it was like a small battlefield, reeking of blood and gore.

Meanwhile, Pei Si pulled Pei Di along, and with a dozen death warriors clearing the way, they successfully hid in the safe enjoyment hall.

"Pei Si, what on earth happened?!" Pei Di still couldn't figure it out.

Or perhaps he already understood, but wasn't entirely sure.

"Do I even need to answer? Naturally, it was my death warriors who saved everyone." Pei Si said arrogantly.

"You actually raised death warriors in private?!" Pei Di guessed as much but still found it unbelievable—this was practically like holding military power to assert oneself.

"So what if I did? If it weren't for me today, do you think you'd still be alive to blame me here?" Pei Si snorted coldly, "The crown prince is still too young."

He had a point, and Pei Di could not refute.

Indeed, if it weren't for Pei Si's iron-masked death warrior corps arriving in time, with only five hundred troops they would have been utterly unable to oppose the enemy's several thousand!

They hid in the enjoyment hall, waiting until the sky turned pale at dawn, when outside there seemed to be no major disturbance.

Has it subsided?

"Little Di, are you in there?!"

Gu Rongjin's voice came from outside.

"I'm here! I and my third brother are in here!" Pei Di replied from inside.

Even though he was with Pei Si, even though he knew Pei Si didn't mean to harm him, his heart remained anxious—probably a habit formed over time that couldn't be changed instantly—until he heard Gu Rongjin's voice did he finally feel at ease.

Seeing Pei Di like that, Pei Si merely twitched the corner of his mouth, went to open the door, and his gaze met Gu Rongjin's; he then smiled, "Lord Gu seems rather useless, just here to wrap things up."

"Your Highness Third Prince overpraises me; this humble official did capture the Virtuous Prince, after all—how could I be called useless?"

Pei Si gave a hollow smile, patted Gu Rongjin on the shoulder, and walked away.

Watching Pei Si's retreating back, Gu Rongjin fell into thought until Pei Di came over and asked, "How is it outside?"

"Your parents are unharmed; half the death warriors were killed, half captured alive, and a few escaped." Gu Rongjin said.

Pei Di nodded and asked, "And the others—no one injured, right?"

"Just minor injuries." Gu Rongjin said, "This time we really owe it to your third brother; by the time I brought troops, the opportunity would have been gone—literally, the yellow flowers would have cooled."

"You didn't look for your old comrades?"

Gu Rongjin shook his head.

The disturbance in the imperial mausoleum was quelled before dawn, all involved were apprehended; the emperor intended to suppress the matter, letting only the historians record it.

As for the Deposed Emperor and the Virtuous Prince, they were merely exiled to their fiefdoms and not allowed to leave, placed under loose confinement.

"No need to die, the Deposed Emperor really has a big life." Mu Yuanzhi said, "He committed rebellion; according to the law he should be executed."

"That's what should happen, but our Majesty doesn't want to cause trouble; this time we put them under supervision, and we couldn't really make anything of it—the Imperial Court of Justice reported that Xiao Yichen was sentenced to exile, and the whole Xiao Family shares the same fate." Gu Rongjin said.

Mu Yuanzhi scoffed: "You merely spared Xiao Yichen a dog's life."

"Cheer up—exile is certainly better than outright death; letting him spend the rest of his life in misery isn't that satisfying either?"

"That's true." Mu Yuanzhi nodded, "Indeed, a fate worse than death is better than being killed outright."

"The matter of Pei Si raising death warriors still makes the Majesty wary, but since he truly saved the imperial family this time, the Majesty gave him a cold shoulder." Gu Rongjin continued, "But Pei Si's way of doing as he pleases will not be good for Pei Di in the future."

"It's like having a poisonous snake watching oneself in the dark—what about the Second Prince? Is he just a coincidence?" Mu Yuanzhi asked.

Gu Rongjin shrugged, "Probably so; never mind—these are matters for the Emperor to worry about. We've gotten through this, although the limelight was stolen by Pei Si."

"As long as the capital doesn't descend into chaos." Mu Yuanzhi suddenly had a bold thought: "Could it be that Pei Shangyan's death warriors were deliberately allowed by the Majesty, the purpose being to draw out Pei Si's hand?"

"Unless Pei Shangyan shows his hand, how would the Majesty know he secretly recruited these death warriors?"

"Have you noticed that these death warriors surfaced, initially guided by the witch-doctor? If he deliberately let Pei Di discover his spying, then led you to investigate the Second and Third Princes?" Mu Yuanzhi made a bold assumption.

Gu Rongjin furrowed his brows: "According to your division of labor, Si Ma secretly pretends to approach Pei Shangyan and his group to gather information, while the Majesty knows everything from start to finish, then acts as a yellow bird behind the scenes, waiting for the mantis to catch the cicada?"