Chapter 564: This world is about to change hands!

The mountain wind blew through the empty valley with a 'whoo-whoo' sound.

It was as if a demonic wind were causing trouble, making all the troops who entered the valley break out in gooseflesh involuntarily.

"Where is everyone from the Construction Army?"

After a night of fighting, the already exhausted Zhang Tingyi gazed at the empty valley, and suspicion rose in his heart.

Yang Qilang: "Maybe they haven't come on duty yet?"

Zhang Tingyi: "No, there's simply nobody!"

"Normally, even before duty hours, someone would be on watch, taking turns."

"Right now, at the entrance to the Imperial Mausoleum, there isn't a soul!"

"Besides, with our big commotion showing up, no one came to ask what's going on—not even a guard."

"Too weird!"

Duan Rongshi: "Be careful."

Yang Qilang immediately shouted: "Everyone, be on alert!"

Just then, the Chu Emperor slowly woke up.

Last night he had been tied to the horse behind Qingyangzi.

So upon rising now, his whole body ached fiercely without cease, feeling as if his bones were about to fall apart.

Seeing himself in the Imperial Mausoleum valley, and looking up at the returning Duan Rongshi and his two companions, he couldn't help but frown tightly.

"What's going on?"

"How did I end up here?"

The Chu Emperor rubbed his aching forehead, which felt like it might split open, and a murderous aura gradually rose on him.

Zhang Tingyi hurriedly replied: "Your Majesty, this is a long story, but last night Daoist Qingyangzi and I rescued you from the mountain stronghold."

"Now the mountain stronghold's troops have been pursuing us all the way; we originally intended to go to the nearest Imperial Mausoleum to seek aid from the Construction Army, but we were locked in fierce combat all night long, so only just now did we enter the Imperial Mausoleum valley."

"But we only just arrived and discovered that not a single person of the Construction Army is here."

The Chu Emperor exclaimed in shock: "Not a single one?"

He panted heavily, and in his fury he wanted to draw his sword and kill someone, but the Qingyangzi riding with him had not even a dagger, let alone any sword.

"Damn it!"

The Chu Emperor sent Qingyangzi flying off his horse with a single palm strike.

If Duan Rongshi hadn't urgently bent over and lifted Qingyangzi up with a palm, the startled horse would have already stepped on Qingyangzi's chest.

Qingyangzi staggered to his feet, having already cursed the tyrant Zong Zheng Langri a thousand times in his heart.

The tyrant who deserves death by a thousand cuts—how could he die innocent?

At least Qingyangzi had nominally saved him; even if he didn't repay the favor, he went straight ahead with killing intent, not blinking an eye.

If he had a sword right now, his head would probably already have rolled off.

Seeing Qingyangzi's plight, Yang Qilang and Zhang Tingyi also changed expression.

And the horse, startled, the Chu Emperor inadvertently fell off its back.

Fortunately, he reacted quickly, rolling out from under the horse's hooves to escape.

Yang Qilang then reacted, leaping forward to quickly seize control of the horse.

Zhang Tingyi hastily dismounted, stepped forward, and shouted: "Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, are you alright?"

While shouting, Zhang Tingyi quickly unsheathed his knife and flung it far away.

The Chu Emperor clutched his chest as he sat up, and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"You……"

He lifted his gaze to the three before him, his eyes already filled with killing intent.

Duan Rongshi remained seated high on his horse, indifferently saying: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

"Your subordinates three completed the task you entrusted, then returned from DaLiang; before we could report back to you, we heard that you, together with my wife, had gone missing in the burning secret chamber of yours."

"Now we have found Your Majesty. I dare ask: Your Majesty, where is my wife?"

The Chu Emperor, helped up by Zhang Tingyi, staggered to his feet: "Bold!"

"Li Wu, are you suspecting that I hid your wife away?"

"I also want to blame you: your wife is so audacious she dared to assassinate me!"

"For this, what crime should you bear?"

Duan Rongshi: "Your Majesty, do you intend to kill me?"

"Fine, the corpse of the Moon Noble Consort of DaLiang—you will never obtain it in this lifetime."

Hearing Li Wu dare say such words, Yang Qilang and Zhang Tingyi both nearly jumped up in agitation.

"Has he gone mad?"

"Isn't he basically showing he doesn't care about his wife at all?"

"How dare he now threaten the Chu Emperor with the corpse of Princess Qingyue?"

"Is he really seeking death?"

"Your Majesty——"

Zhang Tingyi, while giving Li Wu a meaningful look and trying to explain for him, had the Vanguard Army rush forward with an urgent report: "Your Majesty——"

"Three honoured lords——"

"It's Prince Qin—Prince Qin is leading a large force of troops to pursue us!"

Everyone was shocked: "Prince Qin!?"

How could it be the Qin King!!

Did you see clearly?

Yang Qilang: "Last night it was too dark, the enemy commander never showed up. Turns out it was actually the Qin King!"

Could it be that the Qin King is the leader of the mountain stronghold rebels, and he's the true culprit who kidnapped the Emperor?

Zhang Tingjiu: "What's impossible about that? Only he could know the imperial palace like the back of his hand, and even sneak the Emperor out of the palace in front of everyone."

Moreover, perhaps only he knows there's a secret passage beneath the artificial mountain leading to the Emperor's private chamber!

Yang Qilang: "Is he planning to rebel?"

Does he want to, does he want to seize the throne?

As soon as these words were spoken, the scene fell into dead silence.

Qingyangzi: "I've heard that Qin King Your Highness has always been a supporter of the Fourth Prince. But last night, when I went to rescue the Emperor, I also saw the Fourth Prince Your Highness in that woodshed."

I only have some mediocre skills, and I don't have three heads and six arms, so at the time I could only bring the Emperor away alone.

At that time, watching as we left the Fourth Prince behind, seeing the Fourth Prince also feeling anxious and agitated, could all this be a misunderstanding?

Chu Emperor: "What a load of nonsense!"

His face grim, he had already convinced himself of this.

This bastard.

It must be a plot he hatched with the Qin King, originally intending to win back my trust by claiming credit for rescuing the emperor, and also forcing Xingyao to marry the rebel's young commander!

If it weren't for you, Daoist, appearing just in time to save me, I would certainly have fallen into their trap by now!

Zhang Tingjiu: "Your Majesty, last night the Qin King relentlessly pressed us; the troops I and Yang Qilang brought have already lost over two hundred household guards."

Now we, too, will surely lay down our lives to protect Your Majesty.

Upon hearing this, the Chu Emperor felt a spark of hope.

How many do you still have?

And how many troops does that Qin King have?

Zhang Tingjiu hesitated a moment, then reported: "Our side still has eight hundred troops."

And that Qin King still has no fewer than two thousand troops.

Upon hearing the numbers, the Chu Emperor felt a wave of despair.

He closed his eyes and issued the command: "Surrender. I will feign going along with them, waiting for the opportunity, then I will turn the tables on them!"

He, turn the tables?

Yang Qilang and Zhang Tingjiu looked incredulous: "Your Majesty!?"

With two hundred they resisted and repelled nearly a thousand of the Qin King's troops, already achieving victory against the odds, greatly boosting morale!

Now, if we don't fight, will the Emperor have to surrender?

Isn't this lowering morale and sending everyone to their deaths?

In this world, there are no soldiers who lose without fighting.

Only cowards who love life and fear death!

Everyone was furious, only Duan Rongshi threw out a line: "I will surely capture the Qin King alive and bring him back!"

After saying that, he clamped his legs hard against the horse's belly and turned the horse around to charge back.

Stop Li Wu for me——

The Chu Emperor pointed angrily in the direction of Duan Rongshi and shouted.

However, without an order from Zhang Tingjiu and Yang Qilang, nobody dared to intercept.

The Chu Emperor pointed at them in disbelief: "You, you want to rebel?"

Zhang Tingjiu wore a cold expression: "Your Majesty, in such a sorry state, if we go back, I fear we originally had no chance to survive anyway."

The matter they went to DaLiang to handle also cannot be known to the world.

Moreover, they today witnessed how cowardly and incompetent this emperor is.

Going back, how could there be any way for the three of them to survive?

Only the mouths of the dead can be the tightest.

Zhang Tingjiu and Yang Qilang exchanged a glance.

The two of them lifted their feet and walked toward the Chu Emperor.

What are you going to do?

Do you dare to be disrespectful to me?

I am the Emperor.

If you dare to offend me, I will surely confiscate your families' property and exterminate your nine clans!

Zhang Tingjiu, without a word, stepped forward and, before everyone's eyes, personally bound the Chu Emperor.

And stuffed his mouth.

Yang Qilang originally belonged to the crown prince's lineage.

Although this time they got the news to come rescue the Emperor without informing the crown prince, but if they could really kill the Emperor outside the palace, wouldn't the crown prince's succession be justified?

Moreover, they have already offended this tyrant.

If they let him go again to Nan'an, the entire Yang family will surely follow him to the grave.

Better to do it all at once: first restrain him, then talk!

After the two had bound the Chu Emperor, they only then noticed Qingyangzi off to the side.

Qingyangzi quickly looked up at the sky, his fingers swiftly making a calculation.

This, the stars have shifted, the Son of Heaven is out of position, the Purple Forbidden Star points north...

This world, the master will change, ah!

Heaven's secrets must not be leaked, must not be leaked any further, ah……

They shook their head, quickly mounted their horse, then swiftly chased after Li Wu's direction.

Yang Qilang and the two: ……

He sure runs fast!

Yang Qilang: 'What do we do next?'

Brother Zhang, from now on we are utterly grasshoppers on the same rope.

What we have done today is a crime of exterminating the clan and wiping out nine relations; from now on, every step we take must not make any mistake.

Zhang Tingyi: 'Having taken this step, there is absolutely no possibility of regret.'

What kind of person is this tyrant, you still aren't clear?

Go, first enter the imperial tomb and place him there, then we will rush to aid Li Wu!

However, as Zhang Tingyi and Yang Qilang personally grabbed the Chu Emperor and stepped into the imperial tomb, the palace guards behind them had not even caught up, when a tremendous 'Boom—' sounded.

The stone gate actually came crashing down.

The two immediately sensed danger, but a procession had already slowly emerged from behind the main coffin.

Leading them was none other than Li Qingluo, wearing a mask and holding a bow.

She drew the bow fully, aiming at the three.

Gentlemen, instead of rushing in so urgently, how about we watch a play together first?