Chapter 47: Struggle for Power

Li Jianheng, trembling with fear, kicked the severed head aside, now caring little about his royal demeanor. He could only hear a roaring in his ears as he watched the blood soak through his robes, feeling as if someone had clamped their hand around his throat, preventing him from uttering a single word.

Shen Zechuan knelt on one knee, his expression solemn as he said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to be afraid. The assassin has been dealt with. This humble servant arrived too late to save you, and I deserve death a thousand times over!"

Li Jianheng's limbs felt numb, and with great effort, he gripped the armrests of his throne. His gaze shifted from the corpse to Shen Zechuan's face. On the verge of tears, he grabbed Shen Zechuan's sleeve and said, "Not too late... Not too late! You... Lan Zhou did well! I, I almost..."

"Fetch the Imperial Physicians!" The Empress Dowager quickly approached, disregarding the bloody body, and took Li Jianheng's hand, calling out gently, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"

Still gripped by fear, Li Jianheng struggled to swallow, hastily pulling his hand from the Empress Dowager's grasp. Clutching Shen Zechuan's sleeve, he pleaded, "Stay here, stay with the Imperial Guards to protect me!"

"Imperial Guards were always meant to be Your Majesty's protectors," Shen Zechuan's expression remained composed. "For Your Majesty, we would willingly plunge into the depths of fire and water. This humble servant will immediately escort Your Majesty back to the Mingli Hall."

All the guests were still shaken, and Xue Xiuzhuo stepped forward, his voice sharp. "Arrest all those from the Palace Kitchen, Board of Rites, Confectionery, and Imperial Cellars. For an assassin to hide among the Emperor's attendants, both the eunuchs' arrangements and the guards' negligence are to blame!"

"The official responsible for tonight's patrol, who was it?" the Empress Dowager asked.

The room fell silent. Xiao Chiye bowed and replied, "In response to the Empress Dowager, it was this subject."

The Empress Dowager did not confront the eunuch but turned to Li Jianheng instead, and the other officials followed suit.

To hold a position in the Imperial Kitchen, this eunuch must have a clean background and a clear origin. His entry into the palace, his past duties in one of the twenty-four departments, and his relationships with other eunuchs all needed to be investigated. Not only that, but those he had come into contact with should also be scrutinized. Xiao Chiye was responsible for the imperial guard, so it was his duty to have verified all these details before the grand banquet. Since the intruder had slipped through his layers of defense, he could not escape responsibility.

Li Jianheng's forehead glistened with sweat as he said through gritted teeth, "Arrest all the eunuchs from the various departments. I—"

Before he could finish his sentence, he fainted.

* * *

It was destined to be a sleepless night. Li Jianheng lay unconscious, surrounded by a throng of imperial physicians, while the Empress Dowager listened to their diagnoses behind her screen once more. Hai Liangyi waited by her side, as she had instructed.

Han Cheng led the Imperial Guards, standing sword in hand beneath the eaves, while the kneeling officials outside shivered in the freezing cold of the first night of spring. Many of the older ministers were trembling from the chill, relying solely on their willpower to stay upright.

The entire palace was eerily quiet, exuding an especially grim atmosphere.

Xiao Chiye was not among them. He was busy apprehending the eunuchs with the assistance of the Ministry of Justice and the Board of Censors. The imperial guards who had been responsible for inspecting the personnel that night had their badges revoked and were thrown into prison alongside the eunuchs.

Inside the hall, there were no braziers to provide warmth; only lamps illuminated the room.

Xiao Chiye sat below the Minister of Justice, Kong Qiu, with Cen Yu, the Left censor of the Board of Censors, on his left and Fu Linye, the Right censor, on his right.

In the past, Xiao Chiye had the authority to sit alongside the Minister of Justice for joint trials. However, he had to avoid suspicion now and was seated below, leaving the oversight to the two top officials of the Board of Censors.

This year had been fraught with turmoil, one crisis following another. The three judicial organs had never held consecutive joint trials as they were doing now, all involving major cases that directly concerned the emperor's life.

Kong Qiu sipped his cold tea in silence while waiting for the summons. In fact, since they had taken their seats, no one had engaged in small talk. Everyone knew this was no time for jesting; all wore grim expressions.

Seated, Xiao Chiye turned his ring in silence, deep in thought.

This case seemed well-prepared, much like the incident involving Xiao Fuzi. From the moment it unfolded, it became shrouded in mystery, revealing hidden motives beyond its initial facade. It was as if it was being pulled by countless threads, concealing an even deeper cause.

The eunuchs from the Office of Imperial Supplies tasted food for the emperor. Each of them, from top to bottom, had undergone thorough investigations into their family backgrounds. Turning such individuals into assassins would be difficult but equally simple.

Firstly, the perpetrator had to be someone who could come into contact with the eunuchs or a eunuch hiding within the palace walls but secretly serving external forces. Only these two types of people could intimidate or entice the eunuch into attempting the assassination.

At this point, Xiao Chiye suddenly recalled something. He paused his spinning ring, coinciding with the arrival of the prisoner, the Inspector of the Imperial Guards.

Kong Qiu wasted no time and got straight to the point. "You're the Inspector of the Imperial Guards. Tonight, you were responsible for inspecting the armed guards before the emperor and the eunuchs who tasted the food from the Office of Imperial Supplies. How much do you know about this eunuch?"

The inspector's name was Meng Rui, a military household promoted by Xiao Chiye in the sixth year of Xiande. He had previously served as a supervisor in the imperial guards and was known for his caution. With his gaze fixed straight ahead, he replied calmly, "The eunuch who attempted the assassination is called Guisheng. He's twenty-six years old and hails from Chun City. His father was a commoner on Bai Shui Street in Chun City and passed away due to illness in the sixth year of Xiande. As an only son, he entered the palace in Yongyi year and has been here for twelve years. He joined the Imperial Kitchen in the first year of Xiande and started taste-testing food for the late emperor since the fourth year. He doesn't have any particular hobbies and keeps a small circle of friends."

After some thought, Kong Qiu asked, "Who was responsible for tasting the food with him tonight?"

Meng Rui answered, "A female official from the Imperial Kitchen, Fuling."

Kong Qiu first looked at the people from the Board of Censors, then at Xiao Chiye, nodding his head. "The weapon used was the imperial golden chopsticks, which the imperial guards couldn't find during their search. In that case, Inspector Meng, please wait a moment and summon Fuling from the Imperial Kitchen."

Meng Rui stepped aside, never once making eye contact with Xiao Chiye throughout the entire exchange.

In reality, Xiao Chiye wasn't as nervous as others might have expected. He knew that this assassination attempt wouldn't strip him of his military power. Perhaps he would be punished or demoted later, but those were mere trifles. He was too far away at the time of the incident to have saved the emperor, and no one could blame him for that. Besides, Shen Zechuan drew his sword so swiftly that it seemed to have returned to its sheath and the head had hit the ground in the blink of an eye. It was completely different from the speed he displayed during that rainy night, and even if Xiao Chiye had been standing right beside him, he might not have been faster. However, what concerned Xiao Chiye the most was what would happen after this assassination attempt. He needed to prepare in advance and prevent any possible fallout implicating him.

Xiao Chiye recalled Shen Zechuan's final gaze.

The usual practice of the Imperial Guards was a promotion every eight years. They were first divided into twelve divisions based on their registered households, and then promotions were granted according to their performance. Exceptions were rare. Shen Zechuan's background was unique, and despite being pardoned, he still didn't hold a military rank. To lead the Imperial Guards, he would need to find a way to advance in his position.

Xiao Chiye had been suppressing the Imperial Guards these past few months, partly to solidify his absolute authority over the imperial guards and partly to guard against Shen Zechuan's rise to power. The situation in Qudu was chaotic yet distinct, with everyone familiar with each other. They united for profit and fought for it as well. However, Shen Zechuan was an unpredictable variable. No matter how much Xiao Chiye probed, he couldn't figure out Shen Zechuan's true intentions.

Without understanding someone's purpose, cooperation couldn't be done with ease.

Xiao Chiye wished Shen Zechuan would remain quietly below, but this assassination attempt was Shen Zechuan's response.

Impossible.

He is a blade that belongs to none but himself, forging his own path with relentless determination. He would never willingly submit to the whims of others; he yearns to devour, not obey.

What can a night of passionate intimacy truly change?

It was a roar of pent-up fury in the depths of night, intertwined with the gasps of two entwined desires. Born from the collision of their bodies, it bred a shared sense of empathy, yet this emotion was not potent enough to deter their impending choices.

Xiao Chiye would never relinquish the power he had gained; it was the blade that sustained his existence. If he could not return to Libei, he must hold onto this weapon with all his might. Shen Zechuan would also not tolerate being trampled upon indefinitely, having his fate decided by others. He wanted to rise, and he had to do so.

Xiao Chiye suddenly clenched his fists.

Since Shen Zechuan had been involved in planning this case, who were his accomplices?

* * *

Li Jianheng had yet to regain consciousness, so Shen Zechuan was relieved of his duties temporarily to rest. As he wiped his hands in the signing room, he heard the door behind him open, and someone entered.

"According to your plan, it's time for Han Cheng to step forward and save the Emperor tonight," Xue Xiuzhuo rolled up his sleeves slightly, washing his hands in a basin of cool water with a smile. "We've all been played by Lord Shen."

"In such a critical situation," Shen Zechuan didn't turn around, "if Han Cheng has the ability, there's no harm in letting him save the day. But if he's too slow, what then?"

"You can't get rid of Xiao Er without implicating him in neglect of duty at best. On the other hand, you've exposed yourself to him this time. Even if you succeed, you won't have an easy time afterward."

"I'm sharing a boat with Lord Shi Cheng through this crisis," Shen Zechuan turned back, smiling. "If I'm not comfortable, how could you be?"

"I've heard that there are mad dogs who will even bite their own kind when they're frenzied," Xue Xiuzhuo held out his palms to dry them, looking at Shen Zechuan. "Using people so bluntly as stepping stones, being on the same boat would only make others fear you more."

"How so?" Shen Zechuan asked. "Those gaining power tonight are my brothers. Isn't it me who's placed in front of Xiao Er? In the future, I'll be the thorn in his flesh, both emotionally and logically. He should hate me to the core."

"The Emperor's bond with Xiao Er runs deep, especially due to the life-saving favor at the Southern Forest Hunting Ground. Even if you take the lead this time, you might not be able to replace Xiao Er."

"All things are hardest at the beginning," Shen Zechuan scoffed. "If the Emperor truly appreciates Xiao Er's life-saving deed, he wouldn't have kept him confined in Qudu. Human gratitude is just that shallow."

Xue Xiuzhuo wiped his hands and laughed for a moment before saying, "Though there was a slight deviation tonight, we ultimately succeeded. Lord Commander, please look out for me in the future."

The Office of the Inspectorate was a fifth-rank official position. Xue Xiuzhuo was hinting at how much reward Shen Zechuan could expect in the days to come.

Shen Zechuan wasn't overly surprised. He said, "The people from the Imperial Kitchen are to be interrogated. Minister of Justice Kong Qiu is an incorruptible and righteous official. You two shouldn't fall into his trap."

Xue Xiuzhuo straightened his sleeves and replied politely, "Since we dared to do it, we're not afraid of their investigation. I hope that in this new year, we can continue to work together and achieve our wishes sooner rather than later."

"Gentleman Shen's care is much appreciated," Shen Zechuan gazed at him warmly and replied, "I will certainly fulfill my long-held aspirations."