novelraw Chapter 63 Revealed
Chapter 63 Revealed
Zhao Yu swept his gaze across the faces of the crowd below the stage and slowly began to speak: "I know you all have concerns. So today, I will speak frankly with you and tell you clearly what I am going to do."
He paused, and his next words shocked everyone present.
"What I seek is the dragon throne in the palace and the vast land of the Song Dynasty."
Whoosh—!
These words immediately caused an uproar in the audience.
Rebellion! Seizure of the throne!
They never dreamed that the Prince of Yongjia, who had taken them in, would do something so earth-shattering.
Just as everyone was stunned and speechless, Zhao Yu clapped his hands lightly.
As the applause subsided, a figure emerged from the shadows of the platform and stood beside Zhao Yu.
Upon seeing the man's face clearly, Wang Huai'an's pupils contracted sharply, and he couldn't help but blurt out, "Grand Commandant Xia?"
The visitor was none other than Xia Zhen, the Grand Commandant who was in charge of the Palace Guards and the Imperial Guards of the Three Garrisons.
Xia Zhen forced a smile at Wang Huai'an and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
After all, if Zhao Yu succeeds, he will probably become the powerful eunuch in charge of the palace, so it's always good for Xia Zhen to show goodwill in advance.
He then turned around and bowed to Zhao Yu, saying, "Your subject Xia Zhen greets Your Highness."
Zhao Yu raised his hand in a gesture of support, and announced loudly to the crowd below, "This is Grand Commandant Xia, the Commander of the Palace Guards. The entire Imperial Guards of Lin'an City are under Grand Commandant Xia's control. With the Imperial Guards as our inside man, this great undertaking is bound to succeed!"
He looked around and asked in a deep voice, "Tell me, why did you wield that knife back then? Wasn't it to find a way out, to fight for a chance to rise above others, to no longer be looked down upon, to no longer be bullied?"
"But in the end, you were all rejected, not even able to enter the palace. You endured countless scornful looks and tasted the bitterness of life, living at the very bottom of the social ladder, with no hope of ever rising above it!"
"And now, I will give you an opportunity, a chance to reach the heavens! This road to heaven is laid out before you; it's up to you whether you dare to gamble with me."
Zhao Yu's words immediately jolted most of the people below awake.
The crowd below the stage were thrilled to see that even Grand Commandant Xia, who held the power of the Imperial Guards, had pledged allegiance to their king. Most of their worries vanished instantly.
They are people driven to the brink of despair, willing to ruthlessly destroy themselves for a slim chance, their very nature harboring extremism and madness.
The Evil-Repelling Sword Manual is an extremely yin and evil martial art. Practicing it for a long time will distort a person's mind, making them increasingly ruthless and extreme.
Lin Pingzhi, who once roamed the world, is the best example. He went from a chivalrous young hero to a beast who killed his wife with his own hands, and it didn't take him long to change.
These self-castrated eunuchs naturally had even more extreme thoughts.
Now, Zhao Yu has laid an immense fortune before them.
If you win the gamble, you'll be a meritorious official who helped the emperor rise to power, enjoying wealth and honor; if you lose, the worst that can happen is death.
They already have nothing to lose, so what are they afraid to gamble on?
Moreover, even Grand Commandant Xia, who commands the Imperial Guards, has rebelled, and our own King has taught them this miraculous martial art. This great undertaking may very well succeed!
In just a few breaths, the hesitation in the eyes of the crowd below the stage was completely replaced by madness.
"Thump!"
The tall, thin man in the front row was the first to kneel down, raising his longsword: "We are willing to die for our king!"
"I am willing to die for Your Majesty!"
Like a tidal wave, more than three hundred people knelt down in unison, raising their longswords high, their blood boiling, eager to follow Zhao Yu and fight their way out.
Zhao Yu looked at the people kneeling on the ground and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
People's hearts can be won over.
"Good!" Zhao Yu said loudly, "Get up, all of you. After tonight's mission is accomplished, I will certainly not treat you unfairly!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The crowd stood up, each one full of energy and exuding a murderous aura.
Zhao Yu then waved his hand and ordered, "You have a quarter of an hour to check your weapons and pack your belongings. After a quarter of an hour, you will depart with me."
"Yes, sir!"
The crowd responded enthusiastically and dispersed, gathering in small groups to examine their longswords and sharpen their blades.
Many people even started practicing the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique right there in the training ground.
The sword flashed, fast as lightning, and the sound of it cutting through the air was incessant.
Seeing this scene before him, Zhao Yu smiled with relief.
Two months of hard work have finally paid off. Tonight, these three hundred Evil-Repelling Swordsmen will surely make the entire city of Lin'an remember the name of the Eastern Depot.
At this moment, Xia Zhen walked to Zhao Yu's side, his face showing some worry: "Your Highness, are you really going to launch the attack during tomorrow's morning court session? At that time, all the civil and military officials will gather in the imperial palace. Once the attack is launched, the news will spread throughout Lin'an in an instant, and it will be impossible to keep it a secret any longer."
Killing the Jin delegation is only the first step; the real killing blow will be delivered at tomorrow's morning court session.
Throughout history, palace coups have always been carried out in secret, taking advantage of the quiet of the night to seize control of the palace and the emperor with overwhelming force. There has never been one launched during a grand court assembly.
Xia Zhen hesitated before continuing, "Your Highness, our Great Song Dynasty has always governed the country together with the scholar-officials. As long as the emperor and the palace are controlled, there is a way to cover up the coup, and even if the officials are dissatisfied, they can only accept it."
"But if we were to make a move during the grand court assembly, and accidentally kill someone, it would likely provoke widespread opposition from scholars across the land. If the military governors of Lianghuai, Jinghu, and Sichuan were to raise an army under the banner of loyalist rule, the situation would be completely out of control."
Although Zhao Yu gave him a hint, it only affected his stance; his way of thinking remained unchanged.
Out of instinct, he still wanted Zhao Yu to act in secret.
But Zhao Yu had already made up his mind. He raised his hand and patted Xia's shoulder: "Grand Commandant Xia, I understand your concerns. However, this world has already been riddled with holes by these scholars who spout so much benevolence and morality."
"What I want is not a Song Dynasty that continues the old system and lingers on for a while, but a new dynasty that can launch a northern expedition to conquer the Central Plains and return the old capital. Some festering sores must be thoroughly punctured in front of everyone."
His gaze turned towards the palace, and he instructed, "Just do as I say, deploy your men, control the four gates of the imperial city, keep a close watch on the Imperial City Guard and Yang Cishan's central army, and act on my orders. I will take care of the rest; you don't need to worry about it."
Seeing that Zhao Yu was determined, and having said all that, Xia Zhen could no longer persuade him. He could only bow and cup his hands in resignation: "Your subject obeys. I will go and arrange the manpower to ensure that everything goes smoothly tomorrow."
Zhao Yu nodded, and Xia Zhen then bowed and took his leave.
Only Zhao Yu and Wang Huai'an remained on the training ground.
Zhao Yu turned around, looked at Wang Huai'an beside him, and asked with a half-smile, "Huai'an, now you know what I'm going to do. What are you thinking? Are you afraid?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Huai'an knelt down without hesitation.
"This servant's life was given to her by the king. The king is planning great things for the world, so why should this servant hesitate to give her life? Regardless of success or failure, this servant will follow the king. If the king gives any order, this servant will not hesitate to die for him."
"Good!" Zhao Yu laughed heartily, stepped forward, and pulled him up. "I knew I hadn't misjudged you! Tonight, I'm entrusting the first merit of this battle at Duting Post Station to you. Whether you can lead the Eastern Depot to kill the Jin delegation depends on you."
Wang Huai'an straightened her back, a ruthless glint in her eyes: "Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will not fail in my mission. Tonight, I will ensure that not a single one of the Jin dogs in Duting Post Station will leave alive!"