Tiandu Under Martial Law

Chu Xuanao smiled faintly.

"Don't worry. Nothing's happened on my end. By the way, Haitang and Yidao will stay behind. The two of them will hold down the capital and gather intelligence. Even if something changes in the capital, we'll learn of it quickly."

Chu Xuanao had given the matter of leaving Haitang and Yidao behind careful thought. Whoever remained to hold down the capital had to be calm and collected, clever, observant in every direction, steady in temperament, and ruthless when needed. Cheng Shifei was immediately ruled out—his personality was far too flighty.

Haitang had to stay. She was clever and quick-witted, skilled at dealing with people, and perfectly suited to the situation in the capital.

Moreover, she was a woman. Carrying his token, she could enter the Imperial Palace. If anything happened, she could inform his imperial consort mother, soothe her worries, and perhaps teach his younger sister a thing or two along the way.

Do not say that one was useless within the depths of the palace. Sometimes, someone in the palace was worth more than hundreds or thousands outside it.

Zhu Wushi would be accompanying him to You Province and would not remain behind. Duan Tianya and Guihai Yidao were both suitable, but Haitang and Yidao were a pair, so he might as well grant them the fulfillment of that bond.

Hearing this, Zhu Wushi nodded. The capital truly needed manpower, as well as someone to take command.

"Very well, Your Highness. Then we shall go make preparations first."

Chu Xuanao nodded.

At that moment, Yuan Tiangang's voice sounded from beside him.

"Your Highness, I still require some things. I will need to take several treasures from Your Highness's Treasure Gathering Pavilion."

Turning to Yuan Tiangang, Chu Xuanao took out a Small Golden Light Mirror and handed it to him before saying, "Go take them directly. There is no need for further words."

By then, only the ever-silent Ghost Servant and the still-digesting Qiuyue Shuangxue and Xiao Dezi remained in the courtyard.

By nature, Ghost Servant was not skilled in schemes and strategy. If given orders, he would simply carry them out. In terms of strength, a Peak Ascension Realm Ghost Servant was also one of the Martial World's rare experts. That was why he had become Chu Xuanao's personal guard.

Taking out the Divine Weapon Golden Light Mirror, Chu Xuanao handed it to Ghost Servant. From this day onward, the task of serving as liaison would rest upon Ghost Servant's shoulders.

By noon, Zhu Wushi and the others had already departed. Chu Xuanao stood at the gates of Prince An's Mansion, watching their figures vanish into the distance. He raised a hand and touched his chest, where Yuan Tiangang had left behind several protective measures.

At Chu Xuanao's side stood his Maternal Uncle Bai Feihong and his Maternal Aunt Bai Feiyu.

Yet both of them were utterly baffled, unable to understand why they were heading first to You Province. Their Maternal Grandfather had not told them of these matters.

To Bai Yi, since this matter had come from the mouth of a Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert, it was most likely true beyond doubt. But the fewer people who knew of such a matter, the better.

Especially that Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert—his grandson had hidden such a capable figure so deeply, never revealing him before. Now that he had shown him to Bai Yi, it meant he trusted him, so it was best not to expose the matter further. Besides, since he had already been shown, they would naturally learn the truth when the time came.

Bai Feihong asked with a trace of solemnity on his face, "Is there trouble in the fief of You Province?"

His father had told him that morning to have the family send a batch of manpower to You Province. Now, powerful Ascension Realm experts like Zhu Wushi were rushing there ahead of them. It was difficult not to suspect that something had gone wrong in the fief.

Hearing this, Chu Xuanao said with an utterly relaxed expression, "Some people fail to recognize the situation and foolishly seek to contend with this king. Maternal Uncle need not worry."

Bai Feihong understood at once. This was a campaign to sweep clean the fief.

Seeing his maternal uncle's expression, Chu Xuanao said no more. He would learn in the future.

He had not been wrong, either. A mere Great Feng dared dream of contending with the Prince of Qin—who dared fight the Heaven-Strategy General?

Since he, Chu Xuanao, had received this title, it must mean the ancestors were watching over him. Hadn't the system come trotting over eagerly the moment he was enfeoffed as king?

And right at the beginning, the system had obediently delivered Yuan Tiangang to him.

"Come, come, Maternal Uncle. Back to the manor, back to the manor. Let's go inside and talk."

In the end, Chu Xuanao decided it would be better to keep a low profile recently. It could be said that he had sent out all the main forces at his disposal. If something happened now, then something would truly happen.

He was not worried about his own life. Within Tiandu City, it could be said that no one could take his life, nor would anyone dare to take it—unless their entire nine clans had grown tired of living.

The main issue was that if he ran into people like his Fourth Brother or Li Tingfei again, people who bore him a slight grudge, he would be unable to defeat them and would easily lose face.

In his eighteen years, Chu Xuanao had only lost face before Imperial Father and his imperial consort mother, and lost half his face before Maternal Aunt and Granny Hua.

He could not afford to lose face outside, so it was better to lie low for now. After the first day of the new year, he could test his edge again.

Late at night, there was no moon in the sky and no light upon the earth. Everything was pitch-black. The weather had changed abruptly at dusk, and a light snow had begun to fall.

Compared with the usually quiet Tiandu City after curfew, tonight was somewhat bustling.

Many powerful experts shot out from Prince An's Mansion, their auras completely undisguised. Dividing into several groups, they sped in clear directions toward different parts of the city.

Among them was Gens. Bloodshot veins covered his eyes, madness flickering within them, while his face bore an expression of disbelief. Leading a group of people, he charged in one direction.

Fourth Prince Chu Xuan'an was also carried swiftly toward the Imperial Palace by a Divine Kingdom expert. His face was filled with fury, but the fear in his eyes and his faintly trembling body showed just how terrified he truly was.

Not long after the two entered the palace, an old man emerged from the Imperial Palace. After that, all of Tiandu City was placed under martial law. Formation patterns along the city walls glimmered faintly, sealing the city so that none could enter or leave.

Numerous experts from the Town Martial Division emerged from the Town Martial Pavilion and raced through every part of Tiandu City. The sounds of fighting periodically erupted throughout the city, after which groups of Town Martial envoys rushed toward wherever true energy surged.

The capital's garrison troops spread through the streets and alleys, beginning house-to-house searches. Those who resisted were either killed or captured alive in coordination with the Town Martial Division.

There were also several locations with clear targets, where troops and Town Martial envoys moved out in a mighty throng. After sealing off all exits, they charged straight inside.

Throughout Tiandu City, houses of every size had their doors and windows shut tight. When knocking came, their residents opened up tremblingly. Whatever instructions the searchers gave, they obeyed docilely, terrified of bringing trouble upon themselves.

The Town Martial Division had moved, the army had mobilized, and people from the Fourth Prince's residence were racing everywhere as well. In streets and alleys, atop tall buildings, numerous experts stood upon the rooftops, watching every direction. Whenever they sensed a powerful aura, they leaped into the air and rushed toward it.

Snowflakes drifted across all of Tiandu City, while sprays of blood blossomed everywhere within it.

Inside Prince of Qin's Manor, listening to the clamor outside, the guards stood on high alert at every post. The entire manor was tightly defended. Several guard commanders, including Er Niu, kept watch beyond the walls of Chu Xuanao's courtyard.

Their gazes were fixed on the roof of the bedchamber in the courtyard. Ghost Servant stood atop it, his divine sense spreading out to envelop the manor, while his true qi sealed off Chu Xuanao's bedchamber.

In the courtyard, Weihu Mountain's Three Tiger stood at different points. Seven Balefuls had followed Zhu Wushi and the others to You Province today. Considering the shortage of hands at the manor, Zhu Wushi had transferred them here.

Unparalleled sat in a tree in the courtyard with nothing to do, seemingly rather bored.

Xiao Dezi stood at the entrance to Chu Xuanao's bedchamber. Behind him were several other eunuchs serving in the manor, all keeping guard at the door.

Maternal Aunt Bai Feiyu was also seated in the courtyard, one hand resting on Gentle Sword. Gone was her usual laughing manner; her face was utterly grave.

This was precisely the time when Prince of Qin's Manor was at its weakest. Most of its experts had only left at noon today.

Bai Feiyu looked slightly vexed. What kind of mess is this?

The people had only just left at noon, and this happened that very night.

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