Chapter 309: The Plot of Usurpation

Yuwen Mansion.

The gatehouse was towering and magnificent, occupying more than half of the neighborhood.

Yuwen Huaji stood with his hands behind his back in a courtyard.

His figure was tall and thin, his limbs long, his face rugged, and his eyes deep and unfathomable, yet his whole body exuded a daunting, tyrannical aura.

Ice Profound Energy circulated freely around him, emitting a bone-chilling cold that caused a layer of frost to form across the entire courtyard.

Yuwen Huaji was the number two figure of the Yuwen Clan, holding high status and great power, and he had even mastered the Ice Profound Energy, which only the Clan Master Yuwen Shang had previously achieved.

The reason he had reached this point today, besides his extraordinary talent, was that he had put in effort beyond that of ordinary people. Whenever he had spare time, he would diligently study the Ice Profound Energy in hopes of reaching a higher level, and even surpassing the Clan Master Yuwen Shang.

A middle-aged scholar stepped into the hall and bowed to Yuwen Huaji.

Seeing this man, a smile curled at the corners of Yuwen Huaji's mouth: "Zhang Shihe, you are my trusted subordinate, there is no need for such formalities. Is Yuwen Shiji's plan successful, and do you need me to mobilize troops to suppress Yu Liancheng?"

Zhang Shihe hesitated for a moment and said: "General Yuwen Shiji is dead, and Yu Liancheng has entered the Imperial Palace and lost his trail. The Clan Master asks General Huaji to come and discuss important matters."

"Oh, I see." Yuwen Huaji had already retracted his smile, making it impossible for others to see his joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness, but Zhang Shihe, who had worked under him for many years, already understood that he was filled with monstrous rage.

Before long, Yuwen Huaji walked with the stride of a dragon and a tiger into a large hall.

An old man sat upright in the main seat; with eagle eyes and a hooked nose, graying temples, and an incomparably fierce appearance, he gave one the feeling of a crouching tiger, possessing great oppressiveness and majesty. He was none other than the Yuwen Clan's number one expert, Clan Master Yuwen Shang.

In the center of the hall, a long white cloth covered an object; judging by the shape, it should be a corpse.

Yuwen Shang's expression was as cold as the ten-thousand-year black ice of the extreme cold lands. Seeing Yuwen Huaji arrive, he coldly spat out four words: "Shiji is dead."

"Hmm." Yuwen Huaji nodded expressionlessly, reached out to lift the white cloth, and immediately saw the corpse of Yuwen Shiji.

The head was severed from the body, and the expression on that face was still frozen at the moment before death.

The eyes were wide open, showing fear and disbelief, as if he had seen something incredible.

Yuwen Huaji and Yuwen Shiji were biological brothers, and he could not be more familiar with him; plus, with his vision as a First-class Expert, he could already see many things from this corpse.

Yuwen Shiji must have faced Yu Liancheng directly, and although he knew he was no match for the opponent, he still intended to fight to the death.

With Yuwen Shiji's martial arts, he should have been able to parry for a few moves regardless.

But Yu Liancheng had used a type of extremely terrifying, extremely incredible martial art, killing Yuwen Shiji in an instant, which was why his expression had not even finished changing before his head was severed.

And this wound...

Yuwen Huaji frowned.

It should have been made by some kind of thin, sharp weapon, but it was neither a saber nor a sword; he did not know what it was.

He stared intently at the wound, trying to find a clue within it.

That way, when he fought Yu Liancheng in the future, he would be more confident in dealing with him.

A moment later, Yuwen Huaji felt a trance, only to perceive an indescribable, terrifying black shadow that could not be described in words attacking him, faster than lightning.

And in the next moment, his neck felt a pain, Yuwen Huaji's line of sight suddenly rose high, and when it reached the highest point, it suddenly fell; in a blur, he saw a headless corpse, which seemed to be his brother Yuwen Shiji, and also seemed to be him, Yuwen Huaji.

"Huaji!" Suddenly, a thunderclap exploded in Yuwen Huaji's ear; the illusion before his eyes shattered, and he returned to the human world. His forehead was already covered in dense, cold sweat, as if he had just woken up from a nightmare.

Yuwen Shang patted Yuwen Huaji's shoulder, frowned, and said: "What is wrong with you?"

Yuwen Huaji gasped for breath, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and shook his head: "I don't know."

Yuwen Shang said: "Tell me in detail exactly what just happened."

Yuwen Huaji nodded and recounted everything that had happened earlier.

Yuwen Shang was an old hand in the Edo after all; upon hearing this, he guessed the reason, but he could not help but gasp.

"A fine Yu Liancheng. He knew we would certainly collect Shiji's corpse and examine the wound, so he left a killing intent containing spiritual consciousness on Shiji's wound. An expert like you, Huaji, watching it for a long time would inevitably trigger the killing intent, giving rise to hallucinations and severely damaging your mind."

"That must be it." Yuwen Huaji nodded.

Immediately, both the number one and number two of the Yuwen Clan fell into silence.

Yuwen Huaji was a First-class Expert of the Edo, and Yuwen Shang had even mastered the Ice Profound Energy, possessing deep internal strength; he was one of the few supreme experts in the entire Central Plains.

Yet the opponent they were about to face was unfathomable to the extreme, with methods that were profound and mysterious; I fear that even the Three Great Grandmasters who have been famous for decades cannot compare.

After a long while, Yuwen Shang added: "According to the news received, Yu Liancheng has already entered the Imperial Palace and may have even met Yang Guang. He has taken control of the Dongming Sect, and the Dongming Account Book contains records of our Yuwen Clan purchasing weapons, which is extremely disadvantageous to us."

Yuwen Huaji asked: "Has Sima Dekan sent any news?"

Yuwen Shang shook his head: "No news yet."

Yuwen Huaji pondered for a long time, and a sharp, terrifying light suddenly shot from his eyes: "Rather than sitting and waiting for death, we might as well strike first, eliminate that foolish emperor, and thereby take control of all of Daxing."

Yuwen Shang could not help but tremble: "Is that too abrupt? The foolish emperor will be moving to Jiangdu in a few days; that is the best time for us to act."

Yuwen Huaji said decisively: "Clan Master, the Xiaoguo Army is already under our control, and with the strength of our Yuwen Clan itself, we will surely catch that foolish emperor, the Dugu Clan, and others off guard. Afterward, we will support the Prince of Qin, Yang Hao, with whom we have close ties; the Clan Master will take the position of Grand Chancellor, and through Yang Hao, we will control the entire Imperial Court. When the time is ripe, we will have Yang Hao 'abdicate,' and by then, the entire world will be under the control of our Yuwen Clan."

Yuwen Shang did not answer; his brows were locked tight, and he paced back and forth incessantly.

It was not that he lacked courage, but that he had originally intended to plan this in Jiangdu, where it would be easier to succeed once the constraints of the Dugu Clan were removed. Moreover, besides the Dugu Clan, there was now the variable of Yu Liancheng.

Just then, the butler hurried into the hall: "Clan Master, General Huaji, a eunuch from the palace has arrived to convey the Emperor's oral decree."

Yuwen Huaji raised an eyebrow and said: "Oh, let him in."

A eunuch with white hair and beard walked in, greeted Yuwen Shang and Yuwen Huaji with a slightly fawning tone, and then said: "His Majesty will hold a banquet at the Taiji Hall tomorrow and invites all officials; he specifically asks the two Clan Masters of the Yuwen Clan and General Huaji not to be absent."

Yuwen Huaji and Yuwen Shang looked at each other, both having a bad premonition.

Yuwen Shang said: "Eunuch Zhang, do you know why His Majesty is hosting a banquet for all the officials?"

The eunuch replied truthfully: "His Majesty only said it was an 'Imperial Teacher Banquet'; I dare not ask about anything else."

"Fine, we understand; we will be at the Taiji Hall then."

After sending the eunuch away, Yuwen Huaji's voice carried a chill: "Bullshit Imperial Teacher Banquet; I fear it is a trap."

Yuwen Shang's gaze gradually became firm, and he said decisively: "Fine, Huaji, have someone invite Sima Dekan, Yuan Li, Linghu Xing, and the others to come and discuss the grand plan."

"Yes." Yuwen Huaji's eyes lit up, and he hurried off.

Yuwen Shang sat back down on his chair, his gaze deep, wondering what he was thinking.