"Your Highness!" This sudden turn of events frightened everyone pale as death. They rushed forward with a smack of feet. By imperial law, there was the iron rule: "If the commanding general dies while his personal guards survive without cause, all shall be beheaded." Let alone that this was a prince—if he died, not one person present would live.
"Stand back! No one may approach! Any who disobey will be killed without mercy!" The captain of the personal guards roared savagely, ten crossbows gleaming as they aimed at Liu Zhan.
He knew Liu Zhan, and he recognized the token as well. But at this critical juncture, unless it was the "As If the Emperor Were Present" token, no token or identity would be of any use.
The captain of the personal guards rushed forward in two or three strides and reached out to feel him. Finding that Prince Qi still breathed, he immediately let out a sigh of relief and cried, "Your Highness... Wake up! What is wrong? Wake up, quickly..."
"Careful—behind you!" Liu Zhan shouted. One guard had been vigilantly watching the surroundings when his eyes suddenly reddened. A flash of blade-light streaked out; before the ringing tremor of the drawn sword had faded, the blade was already nearly upon him.
The captain instinctively dodged aside. With a puff, his clothes were slashed open at the side, blood streaming down. But Prince Qi's Residence had long been gathering strange talents and extraordinary men, and the captain of the personal guards was himself an expert. He roared, "Gan Shi, how dare you rebel?"
As he spoke, blade-light flashed. Though he moved later, he struck first. With a clang, sparks flew as he blocked another slash.
Another guard, his face wooden, suddenly swung his blade at those around him. With a