Chapter 776: Chapter 486: Raise the Banner! Cleaning the Court! (5k)_2
The spirit of the masters of the major hall entrances in the Imperial Court was suddenly stirred:
"Subordinate understands!"
"Hmm, go back to rest." Ma Yan waved his hand.
Everyone gradually dispersed, leaving Haitang behind: "Lord, do Your Majesty and Zhao Douan have any latest news?"
Ma Yan glanced at her, seemed to see through her thoughts, and shook his head:
"Eunuch Hai sent a message the last time, still seven days ago. The next one should not be far. Destiny has its protection; Your Majesty and Zhao Douan will be fine."
"Hmm." Haitang nodded, anxiously left.
In the turbulent winds and rain, being the "blade" in the Empress’s hand at the Imperial Court, how could the Jinyi not feel uneasy?
Will there be no trouble? Ma Yan spoke decisively, but how much confidence was in those words, even he couldn’t tell.
...
...
The next morning.
The rising sun was blocked by a dark cloud overhead, leaving the sky above the Capital stark white.
For some reason, the entire city felt more oppressive than usual.
In the inner courtyard of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, the "Third Lady," a concubine, stepped out of her room and lectured the maids in the back residence. One maid said:
"Madam, the eldest son has brought many people to the front courtyard, full of killing aura; not sure what he intends to do."
Third Lady glared at her:
"You all are maids of the back residence, just mind the matters of the back residence, do not gossip about the front courtyard."
Given the scale of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, each courtyard stood as an independent world, with its own servants, and duties were clearly divided.
The maid was frightened and knelt on the ground, repeatedly affirming her obedience.
Third Lady sighed, waved her hand to disperse the crowd, and personally picked up a tray with a pottery jar of ginseng soup, stepping towards the study.
Last night, Li Yanfu secretly left the mansion through a secret passage and returned late at night, staying in the study until daybreak.
Third Lady knocked on the room door: "Master, it’s time to drink the soup."
"Enter."
She pushed open the door, and with a creaking sound, the pale daylight shone into the messy study.
Inside, Li Yanfu hadn’t slept all night, yet was spirited, draped in a robe as red as blood, with a white Jade Pendant hanging at his waist.
At the moment, he stood quietly at one corner of the study, before a small offering table.
On the table were only an incense burner, a tablet of the Li family ancestors, and farther up, an ancient painting hanging on the powder white wall.
In the painting, mountains and water, an old, strong-antlered elk strolling amidst the mountains, turning back to gaze, shadows flickering in the forest as if accompanied by a herd.
Li Yanfu lit the yellow incense in his hand, held three sticks of curling blue smoke yellow incense in both hands, and planted them in the incense burner.
"Master..." Third Lady, Yue, softly called.
Li Yanfu turned back, today unlike his usual aged appearance, though elderly, he appeared radiant, with a fierce gleam in his eyes, as if rejuvenated by ten years overnight.
Yue’s heart stirred, her brows furrowed: "Master, did you take medicine again?"
Li Yanfu wasn’t a practitioner, merely mortal, and at his age, even without pretending illness, he couldn’t compare to his younger self.
But with the consumption of pills, he could briefly experience a resurgence, bursting with vigor.
Li Yanfu glanced at her lightly, didn’t answer, went to the table to sit, picked up a spoon, and drank the soup mouthful by mouthful.
Yue didn’t move, her hands tightly clutching her skirt, suddenly knelt on the ground, her face full of charm yet crawling with anxiety:
"Master, reconsider. If you leave the mansion today, there’s no turning back."
Li Yanfu paused, ignored her, continued drinking soup.
Renowned for her meek and sensible nature, deeply cherished by the Prime Minister, the concubine mournfully said: "Master, you..."
"Smash!"
The white porcelain soup bowl was suddenly smashed harshly by Li Yanfu on the ground, immediately shattered, porcelain mixed with ginseng soup splashed over kneeling Yue.
The latter showed fear, trembling.
"Get out!" Li Yanfu lowered his head, his beard stained with ginseng soup, slightly dirty, yet disregarded.
Yue sighed, shakily stood up, walked outside, and at the threshold, said only:
"I’ve prepared a foot of white silk in my room. If master... I will follow you."
With that, this low-key woman, unknown to many in the Capital, walked away with firm steps.
Li Yanfu sat quietly in the chair; after a long time, he slowly stood up, his wrinkled right hand grasping the ornate, gem-encrusted dagger on the table.
He straightened his back inch by inch, as if returning to his illustrious days.
This legendary elder, from ordinary offspring among the great families of the Huai River, climbed step by step to the position of Prime Minister below one but above millions, stepped out of the study, out of the back residence, into the front courtyard.
In the vast courtyard, hundreds wearing red garments, heads tied with white ribbons, armed with swords stood silently, like statues.
They were both assassins and guests.
Trained by the Prime Minister’s Mansion in the past ten years, a group outside the city, only obeying Li Yanfu as assassins.
In the past, they would do some unspeakable dirty work for Li Yanfu.
Now, these people disguised as farmers, infiltrated the city in batches, gathering here for a great event that would be recorded in history.
"Father! Everything is ready, announce!"
Li Yinglong stood at the forefront of the crowd, clad in soft armor, excited, with heated eyes.
Li Yanfu stood on the steps, his gaze swept across the pale sky, the four-sided courtyard, over the determined faces of the hundreds in red attire.
His lowered right hand holding the dagger suddenly raised high, above his head.
Li Yanfu’s neck veins bulged, his face flushed, his voice like a wolf’s howl:
"Rise up!!!"
Hundreds of guests simultaneously drew their swords high, a forest of blades and spears pointed towards the sky:
"Rise up!"
"Rise up!"
"Rise up!"