The watchtower.
It stood at the northeast corner, three stories high, overlooking the Heavenly Prison.
According to the rules set by the court, prison guards were supposed to take turns standing watch in the tower day and night, to prevent martial arts masters from sneaking in or prisoners from escaping.
But now military discipline had grown lax. Most prison guards were merely drawing empty salaries, so naturally no one went to the watchtower.
Zhou Yi opened the watchtower's iron door and climbed the narrow stairs all the way to the top. To his surprise, a figure had already been standing there.
"Lord Lei, why are you here?"
"Watching a show!"
Lei Siyue gave a slight nod and looked toward the imperial palace.
Lines of torchlight blazed conspicuously through the pitch-black night, while faint cries of battle echoed through the sky.
Zhou Yi feigned alarm. "Someone is leading troops against the imperial palace. Are they rebelling?"
"Stop hiding your claws in front of me."
Lei Siyue spoke bluntly. "Chancellor Long is leading troops in an assault on the imperial palace's western gate. The leaders are the commander of the Five City Garrison, along with the capital's three great gangs and ten major martial academies."
The Five City Garrison was responsible for guarding Shenjing's inner city and patrolling its one hundred and eight wards.
Shenjing's three great gangs—the Green Wolf, Flying Eagle, and Golden Sand—controlled the brothels, gambling dens, and carriage houses respectively, with thousands upon tens of thousands of gang members and thugs under their command.
Though the ten major martial academies appeared to have the fewest men, they were all martial arts experts, making them best suited to lead the assault and crack the hard targets.
"..."
Zhou Yi murmured, "Altogether, that's at least thirty or fifty thousand men. The palace guards number only three or four thousand. Is heaven about to change today?"
Chancellor Long had served as Chief Minister for thirty years. Nearly every civil official at court was his man, and he had planted quite a few trusted followers in the military as well. Officials of the Dragon Faction filled the provincial prefectures and offices across the land.
If they broke through the imperial palace tonight and seized control of the capital and its surroundings, they could follow in the footsteps of the Sima clan.
At the cautious end, they could choose a young ruler to ascend the throne while Chancellor Long continued to hold the reins of government.
At the more radical end, they could proclaim a new emperor and change the era name directly. The officials of the Dragon Faction could still ensure a smooth transition for the dynasty.
"Chancellor Long has most likely fallen into His Majesty's trap!"
Lei Siyue shook his head. "At a gathering some days ago, Chancellor Long said that His Majesty was in sound health and could live another three or four years at least..."
"Could His Majesty have faked his death?"
Zhou Yi raised a brow. That dog emperor had long ceased caring about his reputation. He might well cast aside all shame and fake his death to fish for Chancellor Long.
"His Majesty has not attended court for thirty-six years. Chancellor Long's power overshadows both court and country, and his influence spreads throughout the palace and beyond. How could he fail to verify such news?"
Lei Siyue pointed toward the imperial palace's southern gate. "The deputy commander of the Brocade Guard tried to coordinate with the attackers inside and outside to break open the southern gate. Instead, he walked straight into a trap and is now fighting his own colleagues."
The Brocade Guard were the Son of Heaven's personal army, yet their deputy commander had actually joined Chancellor Long's rebellion!
Zhou Yi felt a faint sense of satisfaction. That dog emperor had been abandoned by all; the taste of it certainly could not be pleasant.
Lei Siyue said, "This morning, Chancellor Long confirmed that His Majesty had truly died and that he had left behind an edict passing the throne to Prince Qin. In his haste, he summoned the troops under his command and attacked the imperial palace."
After the former Crown Prince's failed rebellion, Emperor Chongming had never named another heir apparent. Prince Qin was his third son.
Zhou Yi clicked his tongue. "Neither the eldest nor the youngest was chosen. So His Majesty had already foreseen this day?"
Lei Siyue praised him. "In this entire Heavenly Prison, you are the only clever one."
"You flatter me, Lord Lei. I usually just like visiting the Pleasure Quarter and listening to storytellers recount history."
The storyteller Zhou Yi spoke of was called Niao Niao. She had recently become the most sought-after courtesan at Spring Breeze Pavilion.
"When I was young, I too lingered in the Pleasure Quarter. My mother cursed me every day for disgracing my ancestors and bringing utter shame upon the Lei family. Later, I realized that a true man ought to build merit and establish himself, so I joined Chancellor Long's ranks. In little more than ten years, I came to command the Heavenly Prison."
Lei Siyue murmured, "If I had been nothing more than a young master who knew only eating, drinking, and pleasure, and had stayed in the Heavenly Prison as a captain in peace... perhaps I could have avoided the crime of having my whole household exterminated!"
Upon hearing the first half of that statement, Zhou Yi quietly stepped back several paces and pressed a hand to the cloth pouch at his waist.
The pouch contained lime powder mixed with a deadly poison taught to him by a condemned prisoner. Even a top expert of the martial world would lose more than half his strength after smelling it.
"You brat are far too sly. I am speaking from the heart, yet you guard against me at every turn!"
Lei Siyue said, "With such a cautious and careful temperament, no wonder you have delivered meals for ten years and still refused promotion."
"I'm dull by nature and can't understand the calculations of great figures. Better to be a prison guard in peace."
Zhou Yi said with a smile, "When I grow old, I'll pass the prison guard post to my son, and my son will pass it to his son. Generation after generation, my descendants will have an iron rice bowl. No matter who rules the imperial palace, they will never go hungry!"
"Now that is true wisdom!"
Lei Siyue slowly said, "This morning, the message did not come from the palace. It came from Chancellor Long's steward, who ordered me to forge an imperial decree and lead the Heavenly Prison's Imperial Guards to attack the imperial city. At the same time, I was to open the prison gates and release every prisoner, throwing Shenjing into chaos!"
"Why would you..."
Confusion showed on Zhou Yi's face. Why had Lei Siyue disobeyed Chancellor Long's orders?
On the surface, Chancellor Long's momentum seemed unstoppable. A change of dynasty was right at hand, and going with the current would earn him the merit of following the dragon.
Moreover, Lei Siyue had risen to power through Chancellor Long's influence, and over the years he had often taken care of Long clan members who had committed crimes.
Once Chancellor Long fell, the new emperor's future purge of the court would certainly not spare Lei Siyue.
Lei Siyue gazed toward the capital. The torchlight had briefly climbed the city walls, only to quickly fall back, showing how fierce the fighting was.
"I have a premonition that Chancellor Long will lose to His Majesty. So I defied orders at the brink of battle. If I keep the Heavenly Prison secure and prevent any trouble, my punishment may be reduced from the execution of my entire family to exile!"
Zhou Yi said, "If Lord Lei mobilized the Heavenly Prison's Imperial Guards and attacked Chancellor Long from behind, perhaps you could win great merit?"
"What if this old man's premonition is wrong? Chancellor Long has spent thirty years building his power. His preparations may not be inferior to His Majesty's!"
Lei Siyue sighed. "When I was young, I would certainly have fought for it. But now I am old. Even if I won merit as great as the heavens, I could no longer enjoy it."
Zhou Yi cursed inwardly. As expected of an old fox. So long as Lei Siyue held the Heavenly Prison steady, he could emerge unscathed no matter who won.
Just as he was about to continue speaking.
Suddenly.
The thunderous rumble of hoofbeats came from afar.
The ground of Shenjing trembled. Countless black-armored cavalry emerged from every ward in orderly ranks, converging before charging at the rebels attacking the imperial palace.
"Kill!"
A long howl burst forth like a thunderclap beneath a clear sky, drowning out even the sound of hooves.
Lei Siyue exclaimed in surprise, "When did the army produce a Martial Grandmaster? His Majesty has hidden his cards deeply enough. Chancellor Long is bound to lose!"
"A Martial Grandmaster!"
Zhou Yi's eyes shone as he followed the sound with his gaze.
Unfortunately, the imperial palace was too far away. Through the dim shadows, he could only make out what seemed to be a silver-armored general leading the charge and smashing through the enemy formation.
The torches of the forces attacking the imperial palace came to a halt. Arrows from the palace guards lay before them, while a Martial Grandmaster led troops in a charging formation behind them. They were truly caught between hammer and anvil.
After several charges back and forth, the cavalry forcibly carved the rebel army—an uneasy amalgamation of three factions—into several pieces, each fighting on its own.
The silver-armored general gave another long howl. "Long Tu has been executed! Those who surrender will not be killed!"
With Long Tu dead, the rebels had lost their head. They immediately scattered and collapsed.
Atop the watchtower.
Hearing those words, Zhou Yi broke into a beaming smile.
"Tomorrow, the Heavenly Prison will receive some guests. Those with grievances may avenge their grievances; those with grudges may avenge their grudges!"
Before you continue