ragginovel Chapter 40: Kill It
Chapter 40: Kill It
Xianyang!
As dawn broke through the horizon, the morning mist still shrouded the entire capital city, and the guards slowly pushed open the wooden city gate.
"Squeak—Buzz—"
The door hinges, wrapped with bronze animal heads, made a low, hoarse sound as they turned, which carried far in the silence.
Before the soldiers had fully set up their ceremonial guard, they suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats coming from the end of the road outside the city.
The sound was extremely crisp and rapid, unlike the slow pace of ordinary merchants. It approached from afar, shattering the tranquility of the morning.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
In the blink of an eye, a figure rushed out from the thick fog.
It was one person and one horse.
The soldiers guarding the city gate were startled and quickly gripped their spears, instinctively taking a half-step back.
Before the gatekeeper could even ask, the man on horseback pulled out a black bamboo tally from his robes and shouted.
"This is an official matter for the inner court; all unauthorized personnel must get out of the way!"
The sharp-eyed gatekeeper noticed the dark patterns on the bamboo tally, his pupils contracted immediately, and he sternly urged the still bewildered soldier to hurry up.
"Open the gates! Open the city gates quickly!"
"only!"
But before the soldiers could widen the gap in the gate, the man and his horse had already rushed forward. Under everyone's watchful eyes, they leaped through the gap and galloped away.
The receding sound of horses' hooves added a sense of urgency to the newly awakened city of Xianyang.
-----------------
Inside the Zhangtai Palace, before Ying Zheng had even changed his clothes, Zhao Gao was already waiting outside.
Standing beside Zhao Gao was none other than Bai Wen, the guard captain who had been ordered to protect Zou Yun and was rushing back to Xianyang overnight.
At this moment, he respectfully held a lacquered wooden tray with both hands, and in the center of the tray was the pouch that Zou Yun had ordered him to present to His Majesty.
The cold wind was like a knife, scraping across their cheeks.
Zhao Gao's expression was as deep as abyss, while Bai Wen held his breath and suppressed all the fatigue and unease from the long journey.
The two men had different expressions, but what they had in common was that neither showed any impatience. They simply stood quietly in place, waiting for Ying Zheng to summon them.
Time passed slowly amidst the howling wind, each breath seeming exceptionally long.
finally--
"Enter."
A deep voice came from inside the door.
Not daring to be negligent in the slightest, Zhao Gao and Bai Wen immediately straightened their clothes, composed themselves, and lowered their heads.
Zhao Gao slowly pushed open the palace door and bowed as he stepped into this place of power.
The hall was dimly lit, and the air was filled with the unique dry ink scent of bamboo slips.
Ying Zheng sat upright behind his desk, holding a rabbit-hair bamboo brush, intently reviewing the mountain of memorials.
The rustling sound of the bamboo slips being turned was the only clear rhythm in this empty hall.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Zhao Gao and Bai Wen stepped down the steps and bowed deeply at the same time.
"Speak."
Ying Zheng did not look up, nor did he pause writing. He simply gave a brief instruction, his gaze remaining fixed on the bamboo slips before him.
"only!"
Bai Wen responded and took a deep breath.
He then recounted without any additions or omissions the entire account of the events that occurred in the market after the Grand Master Zou Yun left the Immortal Temple, including all the turmoil he experienced and the subsequent incidents, as well as Zou Yun's words and actions.
His tone was flat and respectful, no longer the arrogance he had deliberately displayed in front of Zou Yun.
"ha."
Ying Zheng suddenly chuckled, breaking the silence in the hall.
He finally put down the bamboo scroll in his hand, his gaze sharp as he turned to Bai Wen below the steps, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"It seems that my Grand Master is indeed a benevolent and virtuous man!"
He had put down the memorial the moment Bai Wen uttered the words "Great Master," and now he listened intently.
When Ying Zheng heard that Zou Yun had specifically asked him to deliver the item, a barely perceptible hint of urgency appeared in his voice.
"Where's the pouch?"
"Your Majesty, it is in this dish."
Berwin quickly raised the lacquer tray in his hand high.
Inside the dish, the simple, dusty pouch lay there quietly, looking completely out of place with the opulent Zhangtai Palace.
But at this moment, Ying Zheng could only see this one thing.
Ying Zheng shifted his gaze slightly, glancing at Zhao Gao beside Bai Wen.
He understood immediately and stepped forward without saying a word.
He carefully picked up the pouch from the lacquer tray, as if it were a rare treasure, and respectfully presented it to Ying Zheng's desk.
Without the slightest hesitation, Ying Zheng deftly untied the rope of his pouch, revealing the contents inside.
There was nothing else in the bag except a smooth bamboo slip.
On the bamboo slip, a line of small characters is clearly engraved in the vigorous and simple Qin seal script.
Zhao Gao was filled with curiosity, but he kept his head down and stared intently at the ground, not daring to presume to pry.
Ying Zheng's gaze swept over the bamboo slips, his deep eyes remaining calm and revealing no unusual expression.
He casually held the bamboo slip in his palm, as if it contained only an ordinary greeting, and then spoke to Zhao Gao in a flat tone.
"Zhao Gao, do you think the Grand Master of Ceremonies has noticed your arrangements?"
Zhao Gao did not answer immediately. He cautiously raised his eyes, his gaze quickly sweeping over Bai Wen.
He then bowed again, speaking humbly, "The Great Master is an immortal, with profound insight into the subtle and mysterious. I truly do not know such things and dare not presume to speculate."
That's right, Bai Wen was deliberately placed among the guards by Zhao Gao to play the role of the nominal head of the guards. In reality, the real head of the guards was Meng Xuande.
The two men, one in the open and one in the shadows, served both to better protect Zou Yun and to better monitor him.
Furthermore, at Zhao Gao's request, Bai Wen deliberately displayed a rebellious and aggressive demeanor.
This was also to help Meng Xuande better integrate into the team and facilitate his actions in secret.
At this moment, Ying Zheng did not pursue the matter further.
His gaze returned to Bai Wen below the steps, his tone indifferent and devoid of any warmth.
"You, this fake guard captain, need not go any further. You may leave."
"only!"
Bai Wen felt a chill run down his spine, but dared not hesitate for a moment. He bowed and slowly withdrew from the suffocating hall.
Only after the figure completely disappeared from sight did Ying Zheng's fingers tighten slightly as he gripped the bamboo slip.
He gave the order to Zhao Gao in a casual, almost conversational tone.
"Kill him!"
"this......"
Even someone as meticulous as Zhao Gao couldn't help but stiffen upon hearing this, and unusually, he didn't respond immediately.
The order came so abruptly that he was completely unprepared.
"Bang!"
The bamboo slip that Ying Zheng held in his palm was like a cold, hidden weapon, and was casually tossed at Zhao Gao's feet.
"Take a look."
Ying Zheng's voice remained calm and unwavering.
After saying that, he picked up the rabbit-hair bamboo brush again, lowered his head, and buried himself once more in the mountain of memorials.
"only!"
Zhao Gaoqiang suppressed his surprise and doubt, bent down, and picked up the bamboo slip.
The moment his gaze fell upon the inscription on the bamboo slip—
His pupils suddenly contracted, a chill shot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his inner shirt.
On the bamboo slip were seven small characters, as if carved with a knife and axe.
This person is an obstacle to destiny!
"Yes...yes!!!"
Zhao Gao's hand trembled, and the bamboo slip almost slipped from his grasp.
Overwhelmed by fear, he could no longer maintain his standing posture.
With a thud, he knelt directly on the cold floor tiles, his body trembling with extreme fear.
He pressed his forehead to the ground, awaiting the king's final judgment.
For a moment, the vast main hall of Zhangtai Palace fell into a deathly silence.
Only the flickering candlelight illuminated Ying Zheng's figure as he bent over his desk, reviewing documents.